


Small Bump

by stacymc2012



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Drama, F/M, Family, Fluff and Angst, Kid Fic, Lance and Bobbi argue English terms
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-22
Updated: 2017-08-20
Packaged: 2018-03-31 16:48:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 32,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3985546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stacymc2012/pseuds/stacymc2012
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Bobbi said she couldn't do it anymore, she meant it. Not long afterwards, the two find that they are expecting. But are they still paying the price of the life they used to lead?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Their Loss

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PanicMoon15](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PanicMoon15/gifts).



> I ask, and beg that you bear with me, please! This is my first time writing Huntingbird. I do hope you enjoy, however! Let me know your thoughts!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own SHIELD or the characters or the song Small Bump by Ed Sheeran.
> 
> Trigger warning as a precaution: pregnancy and things that could go wrong during it.

Bobbi was intent on finishing that chapter of her book. However, her lovely, charming husband Lance, apparently had other plans in mind. Currently, both of his hands were plastered on her six-month-old baby bump as he talked to their little baby girl. Bobbi had half a mind to tell him to bugger off, but it was actually quite cute, especially since he was whispering to the baby as if it could reply. Who was she to come between their bonding and one-sided conversation? At a few swift kicks that Bobbi felt, she realized maybe it wasn't all that one-sided. Lance grinned widely at feeling that, “Didya feel that, Bob? She agrees that she's daddy's one and only!”

Bobbi couldn't help the sarcastic remark that left her lips as she chuckled, “She's inside my belly, Lance. Of course I felt it.”

Lance pouted a bit, “Oi, no need for snark.” He then leaned in and whispered to her belly, “Mummy’s usually not this mean, baby. She is, however, always as beautiful as the day I first met her. Despite what I may tell my mates about her, I absolutely love your mum. And dear God, if you look anything like her, darling, you’ll never leave the house when you become a teenager. You’ll be a little heart breaker. Especially if you have that little dimple on your chin like your mum,” Lance laughed softly.

 “I can’t wait to hold you… I know you’re very tiny right now, but I’ve got plans for us. So many. I’m going to teach you how to play football-“

 “Soccer,” Bobbi dared to interject.

“ _Football_ ,” Lance repeated with emphasis, glaring at Bobbi slightly before continuing on with his conversation with their unborn baby, “And how to speak _real_ English. None of this “American” English rubbish.”

Bobbi had to roll her eyes again, “She will be American, Lance.”

 “And half British. Now shh, I’m speaking to my daughter.”

“ _Our_ daugh-“ Bobbi gave up in that moment, “Never mind,” she mumbled and went back to reading. Bobbi felt something strange in her side. A tightening that made her put her book down for a moment, but then it went away. It continued to happen, but it was very slight, though painful. She tried to ignore it for the time being

“Thank you. Where was I… Ah yes, I’ll teach you how to fight too. You know, for when Daddy finally lets you leave the house when you’re older, you can fight off all the boys,” he grinned proudly, “Mm. How is it that you’ve already got me wrapped around your tiny little finger, hmm? I must say, it’s a talent you’ve taken from your mummy.”

“Mommy,” Bobbi corrected and winced as the pain escalated. She moved uncomfortably in the bed, “Okay… Off, Lance, I have to go to the bathroom,” she told him, putting down her book.

Lance begrudgingly moved off her after kissing her belly and promising the baby they’d continue that conversation later. Bobbi grinned and leaned in, kissing her husband softly, “You’re such a sap. You’re a sappy mercenary,” she teased as she stood up off the bed slowly.

“Ex-mercenary,” Lance said proudly and returned the kiss. “I’m feeling peckish, would you like a snack?”

“English, Lance.”

“This is English!” He huffed and said, “I’m getting a bit hungry.  Would you like a snack?”

Bobbi grinned. She loved teasing Lance for his British phrasing. She really understood it all, but joshing him was her favourite pastime. “That’d be grea-“she grimaced at the pain that ran across her midsection, it nearly had her doubling over completely, had she not held onto the bed to keep her steady.

Lance got off the bed quickly, “Bob? What is it, love? Was it another kick to the ribs?” Their little girl had a tendency to play footba- _soccer_ with her mummy’s ribs.

“N-No… No.” Bobbi scowled and gasped audibly again, “Something’s wrong, Lance… Something’s wrong with our baby,” she could feel it in her chest and in her gut. Something was off. Tears welled up in her eyes quickly as her heart sped up.

Standing before her, Lance took her face into both his hands and he said softly, whilst his thumbs gently caressed her cheekbones, “Shh, easy love. I’m going to get the car and get you to the hospital, love. Let’s get you outside,” Lance said quickly.

Bobbi nodded, “I trust you.”

 

_'Cause you were just a small bump unborn for four months then torn from life._

_Maybe you were needed up there but we're still unaware as why._

Hours later, Lance crawled into Bobbi’s hospital bed with her as she cried softly. Burying her head in his chest, she sought solace from the unbearable pain and emptiness she felt coursing through her veins. Lance wished he could take all her pain away, but he knew he couldn’t and that’s what killed him most of the situation. Bobbi held onto him tightly and she whispered, “M’sorry. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect our baby…”

Protect their baby from what? It was quite difficult to fight an invisible force. But it wasn’t her fault, Lance knew. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. Her guilt was unwarranted. He just wanted to kiss all of her pain away and take back the last few hours. He’d easily give his life for their baby’s. Lance kissed Bobbi’s hair as a tear fell from his eyes and he whispered, “Not your fault, Barbara. Definitely not your fault, love.”

“I’m sorry…” She repeated over and over again.

Lance could only hold her closer and pray that it’d help. He knew it wouldn’t. They’d just lost something so important. Someone they’d both created. Half of him and half of her, made completely out of love. How did one get over something like that? “I’m sorry too,” he replied to Bobbi.


	2. Their Grief

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I was persuaded rather easily into continuing this story, and I hope you do enjoy it! I have the next four chapters planned out already, but if you have any ideas, feel free to shoot me a PM or leave them in your review :) Enjoy!

It’d been months since the loss of their baby girl. So much so that Bobbi went to work as a forensic psychologist for the police departments around their area and Lance went to work at a private security agency. The best part was that they each got to go home every night and lay down beside each other, not worrying over whether or not the other one was safe or if they’d be coming home soon. Leaving behind the life they led before helped their relationship a lot more than they would admit. Their marriage was actually working this time. Who would’ve thought it was possible? Bobbi certainly hadn’t. For once though, she was glad to be proven wrong. This was something she’d take being proven wrong about any day.

Lance was sitting on the couch, flipping through a comic book after dinner. Bobbi was upstairs doing something or another. He heard her footsteps as she came down the stairs and he put the material down so he could look at her. She was clutching something in her hands whilst making her way over to her husband. Lance moved over slightly on the couch to make space for Bobbi.

“What’ve you got there, love?” Lance asked her as he watched Bobbi sit down beside him. He instantly wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Meanwhile, Bobbi’s eyes were glued on what Lance could now tell was a piece of fabric.

“Do you remember how months ago I said I couldn’t find the outfit I’d bought to bring… To bring Isabelle home when she was born? And I never got to show it to you?” Bobbi swallowed, playing with the light, lace fabric on the collar of the small outfit.

Lance thought for a moment and then remembered back to one night six months before when Bobbi was making dinner and commenting to him about the cute, light purple outfit she’d bought their unborn baby. “I remember, yeah… You found it?” he guessed. He didn’t need to ask, he knew that’s what Bobbi was holding.

Bobbi smiled weakly and nodded, looking up at her husband, “I found it.”

Gently, she pressed the clothes into his hands so he could look at it. He unfolded it to find a light purple shirt that had _Daddy’s Little Princess_ written in white, bubbly cursive on the front. Folded inside, Lance also found a pair of black tights with a black tutu attached to it. Lance felt his heart clench just at holding and seeing how _cute_ the outfit was. That wasn’t a word Lance Hunter used often, _cute_ , but since- since nearly becoming a father, it was a word that found itself in his vocabulary when talking about clothes or other baby things. And dammit, his daughter would’ve looked cute and adorable and everything else in this outfit when she came out of the hospital. She would’ve been three months old at around this time. He’d read somewhere that at around this time, babies were beginning to lift their heads up completely on their own, they were learning how to laugh and flip over from their back to their stomachs and back. They’d missed out on that…

Bobbi’s voice tore through his muddled thought train. “It got me thinking, Lance,” her tone was one she used before she gave him bad news about something. She reached out and took his hand. Lance looked over at her wide-eyed and silently urging her to go on, “I can’t do this again. I really I can’t.”

Lance paused. Well _that_ was not what he was expecting…Lance was caught so off-

guard, his thought train seemingly crashed into a brick building and was currently waiting for help. Furrowing his eyebrows in slight confusion, Lance replied with a question, “Why not, Bobbi? Are you afraid we’ll… Lose the baby if you get pregnant? Because the doctor said that it doesn’t always happen again.”

Bobbi sighed, “It’s that… It’s that I don’t know if I can go through that again, Lance. We were so close to having a healthy baby girl and all of a sudden something screwed it up and we lost her. The pain of that... She was so real, Lance. She was inside me, she would move around and kick, she’d get the hiccups and,” Bobbi inhaled deeply and whispered, “She was alive. And for those 23 weeks, she was my companion everywhere I went, and she’d get happy whenever I would talk to her or when she’d hear music, she’d just start moving. She had a personality and a name and she was a person and she was alive and now she’s gone and I can’t do that again. I can’t get pregnant again only to lose another baby so close…

Lance listened to what Bobbi was saying. He knew that the miscarriage had hit her hard, but he hadn’t realised just how bad it was. They were both in mourning, truly, and while they talked about it lightly, and about the baby, this was the most Bobbi had ever revealed to him about it. Lance respected her. He loved and respected his wife and how she felt. He had to. But that raised another question for him that made him frown again. Keeping his tone soft and without making a fuss, he asked, “So, does this mean you don’t want to have children?” This made him sad. He wanted a family with the woman he loved.

Bobbi shook her head slightly and she frowned, “I don’t. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have a family, Lance, there’s other ways.”

But he didn’t seem to hear what she was saying. He was stuck on the fact that she didn’t want to mother a child that he’d fathered. Not because of him but because she was scared… “You don’t want a little’un running round? Half you, half me, head of dark hair, green eyes, smile that’s so yours… You don’t want that, Bob?”’

Bobbi had to fight to keep her tears at bay. She couldn’t help it. Of course she wanted that. Of course she wanted all of that and more in her life with Lance. Hell, she didn’t just want one, she wanted six, seven or even eight of them that were part of each of them just running amok around the house. But she had a past. Bobbi had a past. And this was the price she was paying. A few tears fell without any consent and she replied to Lance, “Of course I want that, Lance,” her voice cracked a bit and then she explained, “But I can’t. I can’t do it again. Get pregnant, have the nursery all ready to go and then have this… Happen again. And let's take into consideration my previous job description, Lance. This could easily happen again and again before we get lucky and finally get a baby. I-I can't do that.”

Lance was silent. He was quiet for so long, Bobbi was wondering if she’d gone and mucked up what they had. Her tears fell quicker the longer he was quiet. Lance was processing though. His brain was going at a million miles per second as he attempted to come up with some sort of a contingency plan. But when he looked up to see Bobbi’s tear-stained face, his thoughts halted again. Gently, he brought Bobbi into his arms and held his wife close, “It’s alright, love. We’ll figure somethin’ out. There’s other ways to make a family, right?”

In Lance’s arms everything was perfectly all right. Bobbi felt safe and like everything would be alright. Maybe it would be. There definitely were other ways to make a family…

“I love you,” she told her husband softly, her face pressed against his chest. She inhaled his scent deeply.

Lance kissed the top of Bobbi’s head and held her just a bit tighter. He wasn’t losing her. That was the important part. “I love you more, darling.”

 

 


	3. Their Dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to thank you guys so incredibly much for your continued support through your kudos and comments, I really appreciate it! If you have any thoughts or ideas, feel free to shoot them to me, I'm more than willing to have a listen!
> 
> This chapter contains quite a bit of dialogue my good friend, Most Important Pterodactyl (AKA PanicMoon15/Em-bug) came up with, so thank you so much for that, darling. Writing with you through text is an absolute blast! Gotta love Brit minds lol! Check out her fics, cause they are extremely brilliant!

A week later, while Lance was logging in some paperwork at the office, Bobbi called his phone. Lance picked up. She was supposed to be working today. A case with Feds this time. Something about a double homicide, but that was all she would say. He figured he’d hear all about it over dinner a few weeks from then when the case was closed.

“Yeah, love?” Lance asked as he typed something on the keyboard.

“What about adoption?” Bobbi asked instantly.

Since the decision to not have children, he and Bobbi had been discussing the possibility of using a surrogate instead. Adoption hadn’t come up because… Well, Lance wasn’t sure why adoption hadn’t come up. He blinked at the sudden question. It was random and pretty unexpected, considering what they were _both_ supposed to be doing. “Uhm… Adoption. Sure. I wouldn’t mind doing that. My cousin was adopted,” he informed her.

Bobbi hadn’t known that actually. “Huh… That’s pretty cool. Did your aunts and uncles love him any less because he was adopted?”

“Nah. They hated me though. Thought I was a little arsehole,” Lance chuckled at the memories of his aunts and uncles calling him that when they thought he wasn’t listening.

Bobbi chuckled a bit, “And look at how great you turned out… Okay, I have to go, babe. I’ll see you at dinner tonight. Think some more about the adoption thing,” she said quietly.

Lance nodded and replied, “I will. I love you. Don’t die out there.”

“You either,” she said and hung up.

* * *

 

And Lance did think about it. For the rest of the day, it was the only thing on his mind. Adopting seemed like a great idea. There were thousands of children out there who needed families and he and Bobbi were in the position to provide a family, love and money, so he didn’t see why not. He had some spare time at work, so Lance began doing some research on adoption and reading up on some adoption blogs. Apparently, sometimes it was very easy to adopt children and other times pretty difficult, it always depended on the case. Lance had a few contacts though, if they chose to adopt, he was sure he could make a call or two to make the process go a bit easier for Bobbi’s sake. And the sake of the child, of course.

On his way home, Lance stopped for takeaway from a Chinese restaurant a few minutes away from the house. As he walked into the house, Bobbi took hold of the bag of food, kissed him hello and sauntered off into the kitchen. Lance blinked a bit and removed his shoes at the door and his jacket. “How was your day, love?” Lance called to Bobbi while hanging up his jacket.

He followed her to the kitchen. Bobbi grinned over at him, her face lighting up more than it had in months. Lance raised a brow, “What?”

“We’ll talk about my day in a sec. How was your day?” she asked, an unusually cheery tone in her voice.

Lance was so baffled. He knew something was up, and he wanted to know what it was, so he gave her a very quick run-through of his day. He was wondering if Bobbi had eaten Jemma Simmons or something and that’s why she was so cheery, but he figured that was extremely implausible. His wife wouldn’t eat _Jemma Simmons_. Besides, she wasn’t a cannibal. Cannibalism was technically illegal, anyway, and he wasn’t sure if- Before that thought train could run any further away, Lance turned his attention back to his wife and replied, “Rather boring. Data entry today, the usual bollocks. What’s got you so happy?” he smiled a bit. Not that he minded seeing her so happy.

Bobbi seemed to sober a bit at his question as she prepared them two plates of food. “Well, I’m working this case… Double-homicide. It’s a… Let’s just say it’s not the first case that’s come about like this in the last three weeks, that’s why I’m working with the Feds on this one.”

“Got it. I thought you couldn’t talk about ongoing cases?” Lance asked, raising a brow.

“This time we got an exception, for personal reasons. Now listen,” she said firmly.

Lance nodded and stayed quiet though he had many questions.

“Anyway, so the case I’m working, it’s this rich couple, and they had-“

“Why’d you suddenly call about adoption earlier today all of a sudden?” Lance couldn’t help that question, he really couldn’t.

“Lance,” Bobbi nearly whined; _nearly_.

Lance closed his mouth again, “Sorry,” he muttered and took the plate she offered him and began eating when she sat down beside him at the breakfast nook.

“So, the couple was _really_ rich, they have no family, and they were bit on the older side. They have three children though. Triplets, and they’re three years old. And I think we should adopt them. We’d actually have a very good chance of making the adoption stick since the children have nobody and the foster care system really can’t take any _more_ children,” Bobbi explained.

Lance took that time to choke on his broccoli. “What? Rewind, ya want us to do, _what_ , Bob?” he asked while coughing his lung out.

“I really think we should adopt these kids,” she repeated before taking a bite from her noodles.  

Lance coughed once more before regaining the ability to breathe, “I… Bobbi, we can't possibly adopt triplets. I'm not tryin’ to be funny, but I've only got two arms, love. I can have one kid in one, and one in the other, but the third is going to have to be on some leash or something…”

Bobbi couldn't help the loud laugh that came out of her. _That_ was what her husband was worried about in terms of adopting triplets. Goodness she loved the man she had married. Bobbi took a sip from her beer and replied to Lance, “Well, that's why you'll have _me_. It's not like you'll be adopting them alone, Lance,” a soft chuckle left her lips again. “Just wait until you meet them before you pass judgment, babe.”

“Meet them? You want me to _meet_ them?”

“How else are we supposed to adopt them if you don’t meet them?” Bobbi raised a brow at him, “We have an appointment for tomorrow at 3 in the afternoon.”

“I'm ill-equipped for this, Bobbi. How can I prepare to be a father to three babies when I’ve only got underwear with cartoon characters on them?” He finished his dinner and wiped his mouth, looking pointedly at Bobbi.

 “I don’t think they judge your parenting skills based on what underwear you have, Lance.”  

“But what if they do? I’m wearing Homer Simpson boxers. He’s a **terrible** parent!”

Bobbi laughed again and then said, “I promise that you’ll be okay. So tomorrow, at 3, they’re coming here to the house with their social worker, okay? Can you be ready by then?”

“Might come as a surprise to you, Bob, but you do know I am an adult, correct?”

Bobbi simply kissed his cheek in response as her hand snuck into his back pocket and she pulled out the Pez dispenser of Mickey Mouse and she grinned at Lance, “What was that about adult?” she showed it to him.

Lance narrowed his eyes at her and took back the dispenser, grumbling at her.


	4. Their Hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, my deepest apologises that this chapter is a few days late! Things have been crazy, and as a result, my muse has been lacking. It's absolutely pouring out today, in my little corner of the earth, so I buckled down and got some writing done. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! As a result and because I'm THAT SORRY, you should expect another update later this week, as scheduled. I don't know much about the adoption process, so the bit that I know is what I used; bear with me on that account. If you do know more, don't hesitate to PM me and explain the process to me. It'd be super appreciated!
> 
> Once again I want to thank my dear Em-bug for her help on this chapter! She had a great influence on it, especially the book the children are reading. I hope you enjoy it, and you enjoy meeting the triplets for the first time! If you have any thoughts or suggestions, feel free to send them my way.

For Bobbi, 3 in the afternoon that Saturday could not have come soon enough. For Lance, the poor ball of nerves he was, it all came too soon. It was 2:55 and he still couldn’t figure out what to wear for this bloody thing going on in his living room. He held up a blue polo and a yellow one. Standing before the mirror, he put one shirt over his chest and then the other, comparing which one looked best. Bobbi was sitting on the bed, watching him, trying really hard not to laugh at him. It was kind of cute watching him trying to make a good first impression.

“Yellow makes me look like I’ve got some liver disease I’m lyin’ ‘bout,” Lance concluded and flung back that shirt. It landed on Bobbi’s lap. She shook her head and rolled her eyes.

He settled for the blue and pulled it on. It brought out his light brown eyes, so he settled into it and turned around, he was wearing khaki trousers as well. Looking at his wife, he asked, “What do you think?”

“Even more handsome than the first night I met you,” she grinned.

“You just want me in a good mood for today, don’t you?” Lance raised a brow.

Bobbi nodded, “I thought sex this morning told you that.”

“Oi, and here I thought love had something to do with this morning’s shag.”

“Not at all. Ready yet?” she asked him, getting off the bed. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a deep red, V-neck shirt.

Lance was about to reply just when the doorbell rang. His eyes went wide and he took her hand tightly, “Okay. They’re here, Bobbi, they’re here. Be cool, we’ve got this, right? We’ve totally got this. We can do this…”

“Lance, babe, you need to let go of my hand if you want me to let them in. Or else, it won’t “get” any of this,” she pecked his lips, untangled her hand from his and walked downstairs quickly to get the door. Lance followed slowly, trying to remember how to breathe and his manners.

Bobbi grinned at the woman when she opened the door, “Hi Marsha! How are you?” she stepped aside to let the woman in with the triplets. She had animal-backpack leashes around the kids. When Lance saw that, he realised that maybe his idea for leashes wasn’t so farfetched after all.

“Good, how are you and Lance doing?” Marsha asked as she ushered the three children inside.

Lance didn’t hear the rest of the conversation because his eyes had landed on the three, blond, pint-sized people who were being ushered into the living room. They were adorable. Lance felt his heart suddenly grip. Oh, he was done for. Bobbi had known he never even stood a chance.

 

“We’re keeping them, right?” Lance asked an hour later as he and Bobbi were in the kitchen getting some snacks for the toddlers.

 “I thought you didn’t have enough arms for triplets,” Bobbi teased.

He frowned. Bobbi chuckled and explained the process to him, “…But since they don’t really need to go into a foster home at all, since we’re willing to start the adoption process right away. We get them in about a week, and then we’ll start finalising the adoption process. I called in a few favours, they said they’d help speed up the process.”

Lance smiled and kissed his wife’s cheek, “My wife’s amazing.”

The two walked back into the living room. Mackenzie, the youngest of the three, was hiding under the coffee table; she’d spent the better part of the last hour under there. Ellery, the oldest of the triplets, was walking towards Bobbi while holding her finger and Ben was playing with his toy truck. At seeing Lance return, Ben held his arms out to him and asked, “Up?” he popped his ‘p’ harder than necessary.

Smiling a bit, the Brit picked up the little boy, “Sure. Do you want a snack?” Sitting down on the floor next to the coffee table, Lance handed Ben one of the cartons of juice he and Bobbi had bought that morning. He looked under the coffee table at Mackenzie and reached a carton of juice under there to that three year old.

Mackenzie offered him a smile, “Danks,” she whispered.

Ben looked up at Lance and asked quietly, “Mm, book?” He wanted to be read to. It had been a long time since someone read to him and he missed it. A long time by three-year-old standards. It’d been three days since his mommy and daddy had read to them. He missed his mommy and daddy, a lot. Maybe reading would make the weird feeling he felt in his tummy go away. Ben sniffled, tears springing from his bright, blue eyes.

Mackenzie watched Ben and frowned. She knew how Ben felt. She felt the same way. Her tummy had been hurting since she last saw mommy and daddy, and her heart hurt too, and it felt like there was something stuck in her small throat. She wanted to cry all the time, but she didn’t. Ellie and Ben always hugged her when she felt like she wanted to cry. But now, seeing her big brother crying, Mackenzie felt like crying again too. She reached out from under the table and took hold of Ben’s tiny wrist and squeezed it. She wouldn’t come out from her hiding place, but she’d provide comfort best she could from under there.

Lance watched as this all happened, and he noticed in that moment just how sacred the bond between these three siblings seemed to be. Especially so when Ellie caught sight of what was going on and she squirmed out of Bobbi’s arms and she sat down in front of Lance beside the coffee table and she took Ben’s other hand. “Don’ cry, Benben…” She whispered in her naturally squeaky voice.

Lance rubbed Ben’s tiny back and smiled at him, asking softly, “You want me to read to you?” At Ben’s quick nodding, Lance replied, “Alright, I can do that. No need to cry, little mate,” he ruffled the child’s hair.

Looking up at Bobbi and Marsha on the couch, Lance asked his wife, “Bob? Can you bring me a book, please love? None of that American rubbish though.”

Bobbi rolled her eyes at Lance and looked at Marsha, saying, “Avoid marrying a British man at all costs, Marsh. It’s not as great as they say,” she teasingly stuck her tongue out at Lance.

Lance returned it. Marsha laughed at their antics and said, “I’m afraid it’s too late for that then.”

The children watched the two adults sticking their tongues out at each other and giggled softly, all three beginning to do it too. Bobbi quickly stopped. That’d clearly been a bad idea. She excused herself from the couch and walked over to their bookshelf in the study. She knew exactly what book Lance wanted. Bringing back the book, which was very well loved by her husband even at his adult age, she handed it to her husband and Lance smiled at her, giving her a quick kiss as a thank you from where he sat on the floor. Ellie and Ben were quickly distracted by the book that Lance now held as he gave his wife a kiss. Mackenzie was watching them though. She paid more attention to them than they noticed, and she liked what she saw. Mommy and daddy did that too. It made Mackenzie giggle and feel all warm inside.

Lance looked at Mackenzie at the sound of her giggles and the three year old shyly hid behind her tiny hands. Lance chuckled softly at Mackenzie and asked, “Would you like to come close so you can see the book, love?”

What made Mackenzie come closer to Lance along with her carton of juice had been how he asked. He didn’t ask her to come out of her safe place. He’d just asked her to come a bit closer to him and her siblings. She gave Lance a smile and put the small straw into her mouth to drink her apple juice. Lance settled with Ellie and Ben on his lap and he opened up the book on the floor, “This book is called _The Jolly Postman._ It’s the greatest book ever written in England.”

“’Was ‘Gland?” Ellie asked Lance curiously, looking up at Lance confused.

Lance chuckled softly, “It’s a place. A country. You’ll understand when you’re older. Maybe one day, we can even go visit there, and I’ll show you where I grew up.”

Bobbi listened closely from the place she’d returned to on the couch and she felt her heart grip. Her heart gripped for the child they’d lost. This was the kind of father Lance would’ve been for their baby girl Isabelle. Her heart gripped for the children they wouldn’t have that were hers and his biologically. Her heart gripped for the three children her husband was about to start reading to. For the parents they’d lost and for the life they would no longer get to live with those parents. Her heart also gripped in anticipation for what was to come, and for a new life with these three precious little ones.

 

 


	5. Their Help

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! As promised, here's another chapter! Now we can return to our weekly posts! - I do hope you enjoy! I want to thank you guys for reading thus far! It makes me happy! ^_^

Lance laid wide awake in bed, staring at Bobbi as he tried to not play with his wife’s hair as she slept. God, she was beautiful. He told her often times, but he didn’t know how much of it she truly believed. Bobbi was the most beautiful woman he’d _ever_ seen, and whenever he said it, it was the most sincere thing. Well, second most sincere. The first most sincere he ever was when he told her that he loved her. On their own accord, his fingers reached forward and brushed a strand of blonde out of her face. Lance smiled inwardly. So much had changed. They’d come such a long way. And watching her sleep like this, he realised just how close to losing her he was. Swallowing hard, Lance reached over and carefully brought his wife closer to him, her face toward his chest.

Bobbi stirred awake slowly, her blue eyes staring up at her husband and she sighed, “Hmm… Why are you awake?” she mumbled, half asleep. She leaned forward and buried her face into his firm chest.

Lance shrugged slightly, “Just thinking about you,” he kissed her hair. “I didn’t mean to wake you…” He meant that.

“Mm, it’s fine. I’m a light sleeper,” her words were muffled by his chest.

Lance’s fingers massaged her scalp, “It’s only 5am. You still have some time to sleep before we need to get up.” He was too excited to sleep.

Bobbi shook her head, “Your excitement is practically pouring out of your pores… You’re really excited about setting up the triplets’ room today, aren’t you?” she looked up at her husband and smiled softly. Lance was completely smitten, it seemed.

Lance grinned widely, “I am. Means we get to bring them home in just four days, so we need to get things ready for them. Get their furniture from their old home over here. It’s been already a week since we met with Marsha and them. I hope the children haven’t forgotten us. Also, we got their medical records in the mail yesterday, we haven’t looked over those yet; we should really get on that, Bob. And Marsha called, said our home study was approved and such, so now we’ll have to be observed with the children for a year before we can adopt, but I told you about all of that earlier,” Lance rambled. He hardly ever rambled. But, this was something he felt passionately about. He’d completely fallen in love with these children.

Bobbi smiled softly, “It was a good idea of yours, you know?” she sat up slightly in bed and looked at him with a smile.

Lance raised a brow, “What? Moving their furniture and toys here?” At Bobbi’s nod, Lance shrugged slightly and smiled a bit, “It made sense. Nobody would be using the furniture anyway, it would be auctioned off and the money would’ve come back to the kids and we would’ve had to buy things anyway. It all just made the most sense.”

But Bobbi knew there was another reason. She smiled softly as she listened to Lance repeat the _logical_ part of their plan. She knew why else he’d made this suggestion. It was so the children wouldn’t feel completely strange in their new environment. Having their things there would help them become more comfortable and familiar with their new home. It also would make sure that the children didn’t become even more stressed with the new situations. Lance had told her this a few nights ago while they were eating dinner. Just the night before as she climbed into bed, she found him reading a parenting book targeted for new parents adopting toddlers. Everything suddenly made sense.

She leaned down, since she’d been sitting up and she kissed Lance’s lips softly and she whispered, “I love you. And thank you for tagging along with me on such a crazy ride.”

“My pleasure, gorgeous. I love you too,” Lance grinned and kissed her once more. “We should go read about our kids. Mackenzie’s file seemed a bit too thick for my liking,” Lance’s eyebrows furrowed a bit at that.

Bobbi sighed softly. She was hoping for a bit more than just two kisses, but Lance had the triplets on his mind, so she would support that… For now. “I’ll make the coffee,” Bobbi agreed and began getting out of bed.

“Hey wait,” Lance caught her wrist and brought Bobbi back down to lay beside her and he kissed her deeply. “First…” His hand disappeared under her shirt and he kissed her neck. 

* * *

 

Melinda had just woken up for her 5am training session with Skye. She knew Skye would oversleep, as always, so she had about 30 minutes before Skye came bounding in. With her hot green tea in hand, after having changed into her training clothes, Melinda May found her way over to Coulson’s office. She sipped it and wasn’t surprised to find the light on inside. She knocked on the door softly before walking in just as Phil was responding. Phil smirked when he watched her walk in without technically having waited for a response. “What if I’d been doing something?”

Melinda smirked behind her mug and raised a brow, “What could you possibly have been doing that I haven’t seen you do before in your office?”

“Noted,” he rose his right hand in defence.

Phil put his hand back down and picked up his pen to begin writing again. His left arm was hidden inside the sling. Melinda felt her stomach clench just slightly. She hated thinking back to everything that’d gone stupidly wrong that fateful day just 9 months before. Stark was working on the perfect prosthetic for Phil, now that he knew he was alive. The questions on _how_ was something that Phil was continually avoiding with every conversation he had with Tony. So far, it was coming along great, and Tony promised he’d be finished soon. Phil was excited, naturally.

Melinda took a seat in front of him, still sipping his tea. She looked over at his desk and noticed three open files on them and pictures of three young, blonde children paper-clipped to the folders. The papers in the files seemed like dossiers. Melinda raised a brow as she sat back in the comfy chair and asked Phil, “Aren’t they just a bit young to be recruited, Phil? Is there something you’re hiding, _again_?” At that, there was a hint of a smirk on her lips.

It’d taken them _many_ long conversations to get to this point where they could teasingly mention his misstep with her. However, they were past it all now and it was only ever really mentioned in passing between the two of them. Phil stopped what he was doing, and looked up at Melinda, shaking his head and chuckling slightly, “Cute, aren’t they?” he handed the files over to Melinda.

She got a better look at the pictures and her heart warmed almost instantly at the adorable children in the pictures. “Ellery, Benjamin and Mackenzie Worthington. They’re very cute. Who are they?”

“Bobbi and Lance are adopting them. They asked for help; well, Bobbi asked,” Phil explained.

Melinda looked a bit surprised, “Wow, congratulations to them then. Will it be easy? Considering their pasts?”

Phil shrugged a bit and sucked in a breath, “I’m working on trying to make this the easiest process for them. They’ve been through enough as it is; especially recently.” Melinda nodded in agreement and Phil smiled a bit, “We’ll have to go visit them and the children soon.”

She laughed softly at that, “I’m no good with children, Phil, you know this.”

“Really?” Phil raised a brow just as Skye stumbled into his office, half asleep but dressed for training and somewhat ready to go, “You do pretty well dealing with all the ones here,” he teased.

Rolling her eyes, Melinda finished her tea and put the mug down on Phil’s desk. He could take it to the kitchen for her just for that comment. Melinda stood and walked off, “Don’t adopt any more children while we’re off.”

Skye gave Melinda and Phil a confused look when Melinda got over to her. Before Skye could ask, Melinda shook her head, “I’ll tell you later,” she promised and putting an arm around Skye’s shoulder as she led her out.

* * *

 

Placing a cup of coffee in front of his wife, Lance took a long sip of his own as his eyes trailed off to the microwave clock. 6:25a.m.. They were making good time today. Bobbi was sorting through the files, so that they could look at them. Lance watched her and commented, “They were quick to get us their files and do their evaluations.”

Bobbi nodded as she laid open Ellie, Ben and Mackenzie’s file in age order, “Yeah, Marsha had them see a private doctor, that’s why it was done so quickly.”

“That would do it,” Lance agreed and took a seat beside Bobbi and opened up Ellie’s file, “Alright. Let’s see what we’ve got…” He read Ellie’s file, “Well, we knew that already. She shows signs of being an extrovert, she’s loud. She enjoys playing dress-up and performing for mummy and daddy. She likes stories. She doesn’t like the dark or thunderstorms,” Lance smiled softly as he read all of this. “She hates orange vegetables and she loves music.” Turning to look at Bobbi, Lance said, “We’ve got our work cut out with this one, you know?”

Bobbi laughed a bit, “She sounds like she can be your biological daughter,” she teased.

Lance narrowed his eyes at her, “Was that meant to be an insult of sorts?”

“Not at all. Okay, Ellie’s medical records look great. She’s had all her shots, her development has been up right where it needs to be, though she’s a bit on the skinnier side, but they don’t seem too worried about that. Hmm, alright, let’s look over Ben’s.”

With Ben’s folder in front of him, Lance began reading, “Quiet, reserved, independent; he’s protective of his sisters. He likes music and colouring, but he loves reading most of all…” Lance blinked, “He’s three, he doesn’t read,” he told his wife.

Bobbi rolled her eyes at Lance, “Keep reading the file, Lance.”

“Fine, fine… His favourite food is pizza and chips. He doesn’t like the dark either,” Lance finished reading and looked at Bobbi.

Bobbi looked through Ben’s medical records and found that he, like Ellie, had everything looking great. They put the two aside and took on Mackenzie’s file. Her personal file was thin. When Lance opened it, he found that there was barely anything written about her. It just said that she wouldn’t cooperate enough for a proper evaluation to be done; she’d been too afraid. By this, they were able to recognise that she wouldn’t do well with strangers; hiding under tables and chairs was her defence and coping mechanisms when she found herself feeling frightened or anxious, but that was all the report said. It said nothing about her likes and dislikes, so it was something Lance and Bobbi would have to learn on their own.

Opening her medical file was a completely different story. As Bobbi read through it, she made a weird sound from the back of her throat. “Mackenzie was deprived of oxygen during her birth. Because of it, she has a few developmental delays in motor skills and she has trouble socialising. She has a seizure disorder as well which she takes medication for, but even then she’s prone to have a couple a month. Her vaccinations are all up to date. She’s been known to suffer from anaemia if we don’t keep an eye on it. She sees a neurologist every two months and her paediatrician every four to six months to check her cognitive development.”

The ex-mercenary listened closely to what Bobbi had been saying and he realised, “I don’t know how to handle any of that, Bob. How do we know the signs?”

“It’ll be okay, babe, we’ll learn,” Bobbi said softly, standing and wrapping her arms around her husband’s shoulders comfortingly. She pressed her chin against his shoulder.

“She’s so tiny though,” Lance swallowed. He should’ve known this wouldn’t be as easy as imagined, but he hated that one of the children would be suffering.

“But, at least she’ll have us to take care of her and make sure she’s healthy and safe through all of this,” Bobbi tried to make him see the bright side.

Lance looked over at his wife against his right shoulder and he pressed a kiss to her temple, sighing and wrapping his arm around her waist. “You’re right… She’ll have us. They’ll all have us.”

“Poor things are in for a crazy ride,” Bobbi realise suddenly and laughed as Lance pulled her into his lap and wrapped both his arms around her waist when she wrapped her arms around his neck and looked at him.

Lance grinned, “I think we’re all in for a crazy ride. We should go get ready to get the children settled. I want to go pick up some more books too. I hardly know anything about seizures or anaemia… Or developmental delays. I want us to be able to help her properly so that she’s able to reach her full potential.”

At the determination in his voice, Bobbi pressed a loving kiss on his lips before agreeing, “Okay. Whatever you want, darling…”

Lance returned the kiss before looking at the three files on their kitchen island and whispering, “We’re getting a family, Bob.”

Bobbi grinned widely, “We are.”

 


	6. Their Future

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my loves! Here's the new chapter! I hope you enjoy! I must admit, I'm really enjoying writing this! You may or may not need an insulin shot after this chapter, given how bloody sweet it is, but I'm a fluff-monster. But, I'm afraid it won't stay like that forever.. Oops. Thank you for sticking with the story thus far! It means the world to me! Anyway! ONWARDS!

Marsha didn't have a doubt in her mind that the triplets would be in  _great_  hands. Not only because of how easily they'd each taken to Bobbi and Lance, but also from how easily Lance was able to accommodate to the children's needs when he was reading to them during their first home visit. There was also the fact that they'd been willing to move in all of the children's old furniture and things, kitchenware included, - as per Lance's insistence – into their home, all too make sure the children were comfortable in their new home. She'd also been told by Bobbi that Lance had found a support group nearby for new adoptive parents and he was keen on trying it out at least twice. That was the fastest she'd seen anyone slip into such a role that usually took some partners weeks or months to accept. Maybe that was why these two worked. Because when they took on a new challenge they fought long and hard to make it work?

Ringing the doorbell, Marsha gently took Ellie's hair out of Mackenzie's mouth when she was trying to eat it. "Don't worry, you'll eat soon, love. Don't eat your sister's hair though. That's not appetizing at all." Mackenzie flashed her a shy smile and proceeded to hide behind her small hands.

Marsha could hear some rustling on the other side of the door, before it swung open and Lance was there. His eyes were instantly on the children. He didn't even seem to acknowledge her; as if the three children had arrived on their own. Lance spoke very animatedly to the children, "I'm so happy to see you guys! Come in, come in, your room's all ready for you, and so is the playroom, that's downstairs. And I've got a really fun activity for you while Bobbi and Marsha do some big people stuff," he waved the children in.

Ellie grinned at Lance and waved excitedly, "Hi Wance!"

"Hi Wellie!" Lance replied, laughing a bit.

Ellie blinked at him and narrowed her dark brown eyes, "My name Ewwie!"

"Right, yes, sorry. Ellie, how dare I forget!" he corrected himself, still laughing as the children came in.

Ben shuffled a bit in place and he asked, "D'you wemembew meeeee, Wance?"

Lance grinned, "How could I forget my bookworm, Benny?" He high-fived the three-year-old.

Mackenzie realised in that moment that she didn't want to be forgotten, so she asked lowly, "'Nd me?"

Lance got down to her level and said softly, not wanting to scare her, "And you too, Kenzie," he gently tapped her nose.

Mackenzie giggled and hid behind Marsha's legs. She hadn't been forgotten, she was happy now.

Lance  _then_  acknowledged Marsha, "Sorry 'bout that, hi, how are you?" he smiled at her and shook her hand.

Marsha shook her head, "Good, and you?" He nodded to say that he was good as well and then she asked, "Your wife?"

Bobbi came down the steps behind Lance in that moment and smiled, "You guys are here already?" she gasped excitedly.

Ellie hopped in place and waved both her little hands at Bobbi to say hello. Ben blushed, for whatever reason and hid behind Lance. Mackenzie peeked out at Bobbi, cocked her head to the side a bit and waved before hiding behind Marsha again. Ellie was really the only one completely okay with running up to Bobbi and hugging her legs in a greeting. Bobbi returned the hug from the tiny girl and gave her a slight squeeze.

"Alright, my little monkeys, let's go off into the living room and dance on some bubble wrap I've got set up for us on the floor, while Bobbi and Marsha talk," Lance said and he took Ellie's hand, and Ben's and offered Mackenzie his. The little girl hesitantly took it and the Brit led all three children away.

At the popping sound that rang through the living room when they walked in, all three children gasped for different reasons. Ellie was excited, Ben surprised and Mackenzie was a bit scared. Ben and Ellie let go of Lance's hand and proceeded to run across the living room, popping sounds ringing loudly. Lance picked up Mackenzie, having noted the look of fear that flashed across her face.

"It's alright, love. It's just the bubbles under our feet. It's quite fun, see?" he did a little dance with her in her arms, the bubbles popping every time his feet touched down on them. Mackenzie hid her face in his shoulder and clung to him tightly. She wasn't ready to let go. "Alright then, you can stay up here with me and dance with me then," he promised and moved to turn on a kids' playlist he'd spent a better part of the morning putting together.

The music started playing and Ellie began dancing around happily. Ben looked at a loss at first, but he caught on to what his older sister was doing and soon followed in suit. Lance began dancing around as well, all the while, the popping sound could be heard ringing throughout the whole house. Mackenzie looked up after a few moments and glanced around, realising that even though it was loud, everything was okay. It was safe. But she wasn't ready to let go yet and Lance didn't seem to mind, so she didn't, simply watching quietly.

As they danced around, Mackenzie realised that she like Lance and Bobbi a lot. But, there was one thing that was bothering her. She patted Lance's cheek and said, "M'not monkey. I a kitty," she informed him.

Lance stopped dancing around, so that he could hear her properly and listened closely to what Mackenzie was requesting. He could live with that and agreed, "Alright love, you're a gorgeous Persian kitty."

Mackenzie didn't fully understand what he was saying but she simply nodded. Good. She laid her head down on his shoulder again and Lance took that as permission to go back to dancing with Ellie and Ben, who were now holding each other's hands and skipping about all the bubble wrap in the room, giggling loudly over the music. Lance realised in that moment that maybe this would be just a bit easier than he imagined.

Mackenzie wiggled out of Lance's arms after a few minutes. Her tummy was feeling funny again and her heart was going really fast. Lance thought she was finally going to dance. But, when he set the little girl down, the toddler ran over to the coffee table, which had been pushed aside so the children had more space to move around, and she crawled under it. Sitting under there, Mackenzie felt everything around her slowly calm down. It seemed quieter under there, and safer.

The feeling in her stomach eased up and she felt like she could breathe more easily. The little girl sighed and laid down on her stomach so she could more easily see Lance and her older siblings. Lance tried not to look too sad when he saw that Mackenzie was retreating to a hiding place. He let her be. Rome wasn't built in a day, after all, and that was where she felt  _safe_. All he wanted was for her to feel safe, so he'd let her.

Marsha and Bobbi watched from the large entrance between the living room and the kitchen. Bobbi had a large smile plastered on her face because, dammit, she loved her husband! Marsha was shaking her head while laughing as she watched the children. It seemed to be the small things in life. She looked at Bobbi and asked, "Where did you guys get this idea from?"

Bobbi had to laugh a bit and she led Marsha into the kitchen, so they could have some coffee. She and Marsha had known each other since high school. They went to the same university and were dorm mates for about three years before Bobbi went to work for S.H.I.E.L.D. The two kept in touch over the years, meeting up whenever Bobbi was in the area, emails and so on. Bobbi had to admit that Marsha was probably one of the closest friends she had outside of her job. That was what made the transition a bit easier.

"When the movers were here yesterday, one of them, an older man, he'd been doing this for like fifteen years now, and he was telling us that when his teenagers were younger, he'd take leftover bubble wrap home and do this with his children and they'd have a blast with it. He and Lance hit it off, he gave Lance some good advice – so before he left, he left us some extra bubble wrap and whatever wasn't used from the day and helped Lance set it up in the living room for the children," Bobbi grinned proudly.

Marsha laughed and shook her head, "I really hope this works out for you guys because you already look so happy with them… Okay, show me the children's rooms."

Having looked around the kitchen, Marsha could tell that the kitchen was sufficiently stocked. Given the packs of kid snacks, fruit and cartons of juice on the counter, she could imagine the kids would be properly fed. Bobbi noted that Marsha was looking around and she walked over, "We have food for the kids. We got vegetables and all that fun stuff too. We also noticed that Kenzie's on Ensure milk to keep her vitamins and minerals in order, so we got her a case of that… While at their house we also found the children's daily schedule taped up to the wall, so we're going to follow that for a bit with a few changes."

Marsha smiled and nodded, "Great. And I see you've childproofed as well?"

Nodding, Bobbi explained, "I had to keep Lance from putting protective padding everywhere."

"First time fathers are like that. Especially ones as zealous as Lance," Marsha pointed out.

"I had to convince him that the children were old enough to not drown in the toilet."

"Did it work?"

"The hallway bathroom toilet has a lock on it."

Marsha laughed at Bobbi's tone as Bobbi led her upstairs to the children's bedroom, "Well, you get a gold star for trying."

"He wanted to put in a slide so the children wouldn't fall down the stairs, Marsha! Do you know how hard it was to talk him out of that?"

"So he's a bit protective. Be glad you have that, trust me," she said honestly.

Bobbi smiled a bit, "I could never complain, you're right."

She showed Marsha the room. They'd managed to replicate down to the paint on the walls; a pale pink and pastel aqua blue on all four walls with a white border down the middle between the two colours. There were two night lights on the wall and the toddler beds were perfect sizes for the children. They each had the names at the end of the bed and Marsha noted the padding that surrounded Mackenzie's bed railings. It was necessary in case she were to seize in the middle of the night. She noted the nanny-cams by all three beds, and realised the children would definitely be very well taken care of.

Marsha looked around the rest of the house after that, making quiet documentation of everything. Though she was one of Bobbi's oldest friends, she had work to do and that meant doing right by these children in light of their tragedy. By the end of it, Marsha was very satisfied by what she found. She explained to Bobbi that she would periodically have surprised and scheduled visits and the like as they walked back downstairs.

The popping sounds had stopped, but the children's music was still going. They found Lance in the kitchen with the triplets sitting at the counter, and he was preparing what looked like lunch. Kenzie was snacking on a bottle of PediaSure, a green bendy-straw in her mouth, while Ellie and Ben clapped along to the music, chattering happily to Lance while he made mac and cheese. Looking up, Lance grinned, "Orange foods are a go with Ellie. Is everything alright with how we set it up for the kids?"

Marsha nodded and grinned, "Everything looks great, I'll leave you guys to lunch. I'll be in touch," she promised and saw her way out.

Bobbi and Lance looked at each other and grinned widely. It was just them now.

"Oops." Was all they heard and they looked over to see that Mackenzie had dropped the bottle of milk. She began crying, worried she would get in trouble. The milk had spilled all over the wooden floor. The little girl kicked her small feet. She needed to go hide, now. She cried loudly.

Bobbi looked at Lance, "I'll get the mop."

Lance nodded, "Thanks love," he picked up Mackenzie, "Shh, it's alright. We'll just clean it up, accidents happen…"

But then Ellie and Ben had begun crying too and Lance found himself in a bit of a problem. Somehow, he managed to get himself and all three kids over to the couch. Mackenzie found a way off of him and under the coffee table, still sobbing her little eyes out. Ben followed her down there, crying as well, while Ellie stayed with Lance. Lance felt panic rising in him. Why were they crying though? Were they okay? Were they hurt? Were they hungry? How could he make them stop?

"Bobbi?!" he called across the room.

"Relax, Lance," Bobbi said easily as she came in from cleaning the kitchen. In her hand was a sippy-cup. She motioned for the coffee table and got down on her knees. She reached in and handed the purple, non-spill cup to Kenzie. "Here you go, pretty girl. No more tears, okay? I cleaned it all up and I got you some more."

Kenzie stared at the cup for a moment. Well, she did like purple. She stopped crying slowly, save for some sniffling and a few hiccups. Bobbi wasn't angry at her. She was like her Mommy. Her mommy never got angry at her when she spilled stuff either. Kenzie began drinking. Ben crawled out from under the table and into Bobbi's lap, sniffling a bit and rubbing her small eyes with the back of his hands. Bobbi kissed the top of his head and she looked back down to Kenzie. "Are you going to stay under there?"

Kenzie nodded. It was dangerous outside of there. She made messes and she didn't want to make Bobbi and Lance sad.

Bobbi smiled and nodded, "Okay, I'm going to go finish making lunch, Ben can help me, right?" She gently bounced Ben as she got up.

Ben nodded, "I big helper." He wrapped his arms around Bobbi's neck and sniffled again as they walked off. Ben waved goodbye to Ellie and Lance who were still on the couch.

Ellie blinked. She looked up at Lance and back to where Ben and Bobbi had disappeared and she quickly squirmed off the couch and ran off to the kitchen after them, "Wait fow meee!" she called.

Lance laughed quietly and he walked over to the coffee table and sat down in front of it and looked under it to Kenzie, "Are you okay, love?"

Kenzie nodded, drinking her milk and playing with her hair. She'd laid down at this point and her small feet were pressed against the underside of the table. Lance sighed and laid down as well, "I guess I'll hang out under here with you then."

Kenzie offered him a small smile from around her sippy-cup. "You know, that was a bit frightening. All three of you cryin' like that. I didn't know if I'd done something wrong or not. You see, I've been reading all these parenting books and stuff, and I don't know if I'll even be a good father or not. I was never very good at school. Blimey, I was terrible at school, actually. My teachers hated me, told me I didn't know how to learn. What if that's true and I never learn how to be a good father? If that's the case, I want you to know it's not your fault, it'd be mine. I never want you guys to feel like it's your fault if I fail as a parent. But... Believe me Kenz, I don't want to fail. I want to be a great father, you kids deserve that after everything you've lost…"

The three-year-old blinked at him before inching just a bit closer to Lance. Lance took that on the positive side and continued talking to her, "Bobbi and I want to help you and your brother and sister reach your full potential, you especially. We want to get to know you a bit better. It's okay to be scared, you know? I get scared too. I get scared that I'll do a crap job. I'll try not to, I really will. I took some time off to spend it here at home with you guys while you get used to being at home. Bob is taking some time off too and we'll get a schedule down. Soon everything will be okay. I hope. You know, what else scares me? How much Bobbi and I love you kids already and this is only our second actual meeting. The only other time this has happened to me was when I met Bobbi. I fell in love with  _her_  the first instant I met her. She knows that, but she doesn't believe me, oh well. I promise you, I speak the truth. But anyway…"

Lance was cut off by Kenzie's little hand reaching out and grabbing his nose and giving it a slight squeeze. Lance made a funny face at Kenzie and was rewarded by a small giggle from the little girl. She inched just a bit closer again to him and stared at him expectantly. She wanted him to keep talking to her. She looked the way he talked, it made her feel not as scared. It made the funny feeling in her stomach go away and she didn't feel like crying so much. It made her miss her mommy and daddy terribly, but it wasn't as bad when Lance was talking.

"Hi Wance," she offered to him with a smile, setting aside her cup.

Lance felt his chest warm instantly and he replied, "Hi kitty."

Kenzie giggled and hid her face behind her small hands before she whispered, "Talk." It was more of a demand.

Lance was slightly surprised by this and nodded, "Uh…" he wasn't sure what to talk to her about.

"Talk," she said again, this time staring straight at him, her small hands coming off her face.

"Alright, I guess I could tell you about your new extended family. You have a grandmother named Melinda May. She hates me, but that's okay. Your grandpa is named Phil Coulson. They'll be visiting soon, I'm sure. They're the ones who made sure you guys came home sooner rather than later. You have two aunts…"


	7. Their New Family and Explanations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know! I missed a week of updates, I'm sorry! Here's an extra long chapter to make up for that! Any and all headcanons about the children, Bobbi and Lance and the like is more than welcome as my dear Pterodactyl Em-bug knows. LOL! Thank you so much for your continued support! <3

Lunch was great, in Ellie’s opinion. Lance and Kenzie ate under the table while Bobbi, Ellie and Ben sat around them having their mac and cheese. They’d just finished eating the mac and cheese that Bobbi had prepared for lunch. Now they were being told that it was time for nap. Ellie knew what that meant, and she didn’t mind nap. Dancing around with Lance in the living room had left her tired and hungry. And while the mac and cheese had fixed the hungry part, she just couldn’t stop yawning. She wanted to ask for a story, but Ben had beat her to the punch. Mommy and Daddy always read stories to them before sleep.

Ellie followed the two adults upstairs, tripping up the stairs as she went, but Bobbi picked her up at one point as Lance carried her little brother and sister upstairs. Laying her head on Bobbi’s shoulder, Ellie thought about her Mommy and Daddy. She stuck her thumb in her mouth and frowned. Why did Mommy and Daddy leave? Why weren’t they coming back? Was it because she was too loud? Sometimes she would get in trouble for being too loud while Kenzie was resting, and Mommy would get upset and Daddy would have to take her out for a drive… Was it because…

Her eyes felt wet and she quickly wiped them. She didn’t want to let Bobbi see her crying. She was a big girl. Daddy told her that sometimes. She loved her daddy. He’d give her ice cream when mommy had said no, and he’d turn on the nice music when they went on drives, like Mozart and Beethoven. She liked their nice music. She liked all music. She liked to dance. A lot. She hoped Bobbi and Lance liked to dance a lot too. Music was her favouritest thing in the world… Well, other than Ben and Kenzie. Music was her second favouritest.

Marsha had told her that Mommy and Daddy weren’t coming back and that she would understand when she was bigger. But Ellie didn’t want to wait until she was bigger to understand why Mommy and Daddy went away. Maybe Bobbi would know the answer… Hmm, she’d have to ask her later. Ellie’s chest felt tight and her throat hurt. She still felt like crying. But she had to be a big girl. She had to be a brave girl. Big and brave girls didn’t cry. Daddy told her and maybe if she was big and brave enough, Mommy and Daddy would come back?

Ben was chattering quietly to Lance about what book he wanted to read. He loved Dr. Seuss. Mommy read Dr. Seuss to him all the time! Kenzie had already fallen asleep in Lance’s arm in the short walk up to the bedroom. Ben held out his index finger to poke Kenzie’s nose as she slept, and was chastised by Lance about leaving his sister alone. Ben giggled and hid his face in Lance’s neck. Moments later though, he tried to do it again, at which point they had arrived to the children’s bedroom and the fact that it was the exact replica of their bedroom at home caused Ben to stop half way to Kenzie’s nose and gasp. “M’room!”

Lance chuckled a bit and plopped the little boy down in the bed with his name, the middle one between the two girls and he moved to put Kenzie in her bed and cover her up. Lance kissed the little girl’s head and took some hair out of her face as she stirred but stayed asleep. Bobbi had put down Ellie in her bed and asked her if she was okay. The little girl nodded quickly and laid down in her bed. She inhaled her sheets and draped them over her face. That was how she got ready to sleep. Her sheets still smelled like home. She missed home…

Halfway through the story, the children felt themselves dropping off slowly, and by the end of it, they were completely asleep and Bobbi and Lance tip-toed out after making sure they were all tucked in and okay. Lance looked at Bobbi and whispered quietly, “Crisis averted earlier…”

Bobbi chuckled a bit and nodded, “You handled it well though. Kenzie – she trusts you.” Bobbi led her husband away to the kitchen again so they could clean up.

Lance shrugged, but didn’t say anything right away. “She trusts you by extension then,” he replied after a moment then took Bobbi’s hand as they walked about the house.

“I don’t think it works like that, but okay,” she laughed and then suggested, “When they wake up, we should let them run around the backyard for a bit and play in the playroom. Do you want to check to make sure that it’s ready for them while I clean up?”

“Or we could both clean up and then check to make sure everything is looking good?” Lance was keen on making sure that throughout this entire process of adopting the children and raising them together, he and Bobbi would continue to stay connected and spend time together. He didn’t want to become so busy with the children that he barely saw his wife. This was something he wanted to establish from the beginning.

Growing up, Lance watched his parents’ marriage break down little by little for lack of communication and time for one another. By the time he was in his teen years, his parents were on the brink of a nasty divorce. By the time he was 20, he promised himself that if he ever married, he would not let that happen to him and his wife if they had children. That was a promise he fully intended on keeping, among others.

 

Kenzie was naturally the first one to wake up. She sat up suddenly in her small bed and looked around. She was back home? Looking around the bedroom, Kenzie became confused. Mommy and Daddy were back? Quietly, Kenzie got off her bed slowly, taking her blanket with her and she walked out of the bedroom. Marsha had told her Mommy and Daddy weren’t coming back. Had she lied? The little girl was filled with hope. She looked around the unfamiliar hallway and she balled up her blanket and held it tightly to her chest. The prospect of seeing Mommy and Daddy made her brave so she walked down the staircase slowly. Suddenly, as she looked at the front door, she remembered. Bobbi and Lance… This was their home. This was the upstairs. But, how did they get their room into their house? That made no sense. So maybe Mommy and Daddy weren’t back?

Kenzie began crying softly as she went down one by one. By the time she got to the bottom of the carpeted staircase, she was crying quite hard and her little face was red. She wanted Mommy or Daddy or Lance. Her little legs led her into the living room, but it was empty. As she ran threw it quickly, while crying, she heard a few popping sounds from some un-popped bubbles on part of the bubble-wrap that still covered the floor. This scared her and caused her to jump, fall on her bottom and just sit there crying.

Lance and Bobbi, who had been setting up downstairs, came up quickly the instant they heard movement over the baby monitor and then heard crying upstairs. Coming in from the basement, they closed the door behind them and made sure it was locked. Neither wanted to risk the children falling down those stairs when they weren’t looking, though they were also carpeted and quite safe.

Bobbi was the first to find Kenzie and walked to her, “Hey sweetie, what’s wrong?” She bent down before her and the little girl shook her head, sniffling.

“Mommy… Daddy,…” she cried and shied away from Bobbi.

Bobbi tried really hard not to take it personally, she really did. But she couldn’t help the pang she felt in her chest. Lance came over as well and squatted beside her, “Oh no, what’s wrong with my little kitten?”

Kenzie all but launched herself into his arms and held onto Lance tightly, burying her face into his shoulder. Lance soothingly rubbed her back and kissed the side of her head. Bobbi smiled sadly at him and he mouthed out to her that it wasn’t her fault. Bobbi sighed a bit and nodded, “I’m going to go get her medicine ready, it’s almost time for it anyway.”

Lance nodded and stood properly with Kenzie, “C’mon bug, we’re going into the kitchen with Bobbi. We’ll have your medicine, and then Bobbi and I and you can have some snack, alright?”

Kenzie nodded tiredly and sighed. Her medicine was something that never changed no matter where she went. It made her feel so tired sometimes though. She didn’t know why she had to take it, but she didn’t like it sometimes. But right then, she was too upset to fight them on it. She felt Lance begin to walk as she held onto him tight. The little girl looked up, over Lance’s shoulder and saw Bobbi walking behind him. Kenzie held out her tiny hand to Bobbi and waved wordlessly.

Bobbi felt her chest warm and she took the little girl’s hand, gently shaking it before pressing a kiss into the palm of it, “Hey pretty girl. You’re okay now?”

Kenzie nodded quietly and after that took her hand back. Bobbi’s kiss made her happy, and she wasn’t sure why.

After sipping on the seizure medication that Kenzie had to have three times a day, the little girl sat in Lance’s lap with Bobbi next to them on the kitchen island. She was snacking on some goldfish crackers and apple juice. Well, one when to her, then she'd put one in Bobbi’s mouth and then in Lance’s; then she'd repeat the cycle. They did this until the whole bowl was gone. Lance didn't have the heart to tell her that he didn't like goldfish crackers very much, so he simply put up with it. Was this what people meant when they said one would do anything for their child?

Once they were finished, they went down to the playroom. It used to be Bobbi and Lance’s gym, but the two had agreed that the children would probably get better use of the area than they would anymore. Their lives had changed so much. They'd gone from a mercenary-turned-spy and super-secret-spy with crazy fighting skills to security agent for a large firm and cuddly father and forensic psychologist and mommy… Well, sort of.

Kenzie gasped when she saw all the toys from Lance’s arms when they got downstairs and she wiggled out of his arms. Lance set the little girl down and she ran off. That was the most reaction they'd gotten out of her since they'd met her. Kenzie was so happy to see all of her toys from home there. But more than that, there were new toys too. There was a new play kitchen and a workshop like daddy had in the garage. It was where he fixed stuff. There were her dolls and her favourite teddy was there too. He was black and he was a soft, fuzzy bear with blue eyes. She grabbed the teddy quickly from the box and squeezed him tightly. Suddenly, she felt more at ease than she had in the last few days since mommy and daddy had left.

Kenzie held the teddy in front of her and she ran over to Lance and Bobbi and showed it to them. She figured she would introduce them to it, “Fwoggy.”

“Froggy? But that's a bear, love,” Lance replied as he and Bobbi took a seat on a small couch in the play area.

“Don't burst her bubble, Lance,” Bobbi elbowed his ribs gently and she leaned forward toward Kenzie, “Froggy, got it. I won't forgot,” she promised quietly.

Kenzie giggled quietly and blushed, “Kay.” She handed it to Bobbi and then ran off excitedly, waving her little hands about.

“She seems so excited to be down here,” Bobbi said quietly as she watched Kenzie beginning to play with the toy kitchen whilst talking animatedly to herself. Bobbi held Froggy to her chest and leaned back against Lance a bit.

Lance watched Kenzie and nodded, “At least we're learnin’ more about what she likes. Did I tell ya she thinks she's a cat?”

“Really?” She seemed a bit surprised by this but shrugged it off. Children at the age of 3 always believed they were a bunch of different things. Whatever made Kenzie happy, she supposed.

Bobbi and Lance watched her for a while. She was perfectly content playing by herself, so they let her be. It was her comfort zone and right then they didn’t want to intrude on that; especially considering the incident from before. About an hour later, she dragged herself over to them, holding Froggy, and she dragged herself up onto Lance’s lap and rubbed her eyes. Looking up at him, Kenzie mumbled, “Nap time…” she rubbed her eyes again and yawned.

Lance held her close and Bobbi raised a brow, “Should we let her? What if she doesn’t sleep tonight?”

“I was reading the side effects to her medicine. They make her sleepy, let her sleep. We don’t want to throw off any weird routine her body has,” Bobbi warned as she watched Kenzie fall asleep on Lance.

 

It wasn’t long before Ellie and Ben were awake and downstairs as well, with Bobbi’s help after a trip to the potty and a snack. Kenzie was still in pull-ups, so as she slept, Bobbi changed her quickly and the little girl didn’t even stir. They placed her to sleep on the small couch in the playroom and both sat down on the floor to play with Ellie and Ben. The two children were also excited to see their toys there, as well as new things to play with. Lance and Ben had taken over the toy kitchen.

Ben was taking plastic vegetables to cook inside of a small, fake pot while he held a baby doll in his arm. The boy realised it was a bit difficult to hold the doll and cook at the same time, so he looked at Lance and said, “You hold.” He handed the doll to Lance.

Lance took the doll and held it like he would a baby as he watched Ben and he praised, “Good boy.”

Ben looked at him confused and raised a brow, “Why?” What had he done that was good. He made sure to “turn off” the oven before looking at Lance for an explanation. At Lance’s amused look, the little boy shrugged, holding his little hands up in a sign of _I don’t know_ and he explained, “I dun’ wanna buwn chicken.”

“Ah, smart lad, you are. I’ll explain now, ready? So it’s a common misconception that women belong in the kitchen and men just bring home the bacon,” Lance explained.

“Bacon yummy.”

“Means money in this case. It’s a comparison.”

“Oh.”

“Anyway. That is not true. A man can be just as good in the kitchen. And if you want to make a good husband one day, you’ll be sure to learn to cook and clean just as good as anyone. None of this sexist bollocks, alright?”

Ben blinked at Lance. That entire speech completely flew over his head. One thing stuck though, and the little boy yelled with excitement, “BOLLOCKS!”

Lance fought the urge to laugh and hide at the expression on Bobbi’s face from behind Ben. She looked ready to murder him. “Ah… Well, perhaps you shouldn’t repeat _that_ particular part, mate.”

“No bollocks, Wance?” Ben asked sadly and quietly. Had he done something wrong? Would Lance be upset and not want to play with him now?

Lance reached out and ruffled Ben’s hair gently, “It’s just not a nice word, mate. Don’t ever repeat it, okay? Might make a bit of people upset,” he explained, thought he was bursting at the seams for holding in his laughter.

Ben nodded, looking properly chastised, “Kay… Chicken buwnin’!” he gasped suddenly and turned back to the toy oven and took out the chicken.

 

Bobbi and Ellie were playing over by the toy hardware workshop. It was the first thing Lance had picked out when they’d walked into the toy store’s pretend play aisles. He’d said: “Our daughters need to learn the difference between a monkey wrench and a hammer.” Bobbi had blinked and asked him instantly, “Do you know the difference between a monkey wrench and a hammer?” Lance had winked at her and replied with, “Thor carries a monkey wrench, correct? I’ll learn with the girls.” Bobbi had just rolled his eyes at him and helped him get the “Big Builders Pro Workshop” box into the cart.

Thus found Ellie and Bobbi playing in the workshop. Ellie wore work goggles, a hardhat and a work belt. She was quizzing Bobbi on the names of the tools before them and repeating them. “What dis?” Ellie asked, pointing to something.

“Saw. This is a hammer. THIS is a monkey wrench. Lance is very worried that you children won’t learn the difference between the two,” Bobbi stole a glance at Lance and smirked. She heard him laughing from where he was playing with Ben.

“Oh. Okay. Mm… Wall’s bwoken. We gun’ go fix it,” Ellie told her and walked away with a few tools that really wouldn’t fix a real wall, but Bobbi let her.

She heard Ben gasp loudly, “Oh no! I buwnin’!” The little boy said dramatically and clutched his hand to his chest. Bobbi did a double take to make sure there wasn’t anything around him to actually burn him.

Ben sighed and frowned, “Dats gun’ leave a boo-boo.”

Lance looked at the imaginary wound and said, “Would ya like me t’get some fake ice for ya?”

Ben sighed heavily and shook his head, “no…” he walked over to Bobbi and held out his little hand to her, “Kiss boo-boo? Make it all bettew?”

Bobbi would’ve done it regardless of the incredibly adorable and heart breaking pout on his face and big, sad, brown eyes he was giving her. Bobbi felt herself melting as she took his small hand and kissed it softly, “All better?”

Ben blushed deeply and grinned, nodding, “All bettew. No gotta go t’da ho’pital now!”

This exclamation woke Kenzie from her delayed nap and she sat up on the couch, glad to find she was still holding Froggy. She stared at her siblings playing in the large room with Bobbi and Lance and wanted to join them, but she didn’t feel ready to yet; so she didn’t. She waved hello to Lance when he acknowledged her, and then she hid behind Froggy.

It was nearing 5 in the afternoon and the schedule had said the children should’ve been in bed by at least 7:30, after their baths. Bobbi got up from her place where she was playing and she said, “I’m going to go make something for dinner, and maybe put in a load in the wash?”

Lance nodded and asked, “Fish and chips? I’ll keep an eye on the little tykes,” he promised.

“Sure. I’ll make that for us, something easier for them though. Maybe fish sticks?” Bobbi asked.

Lance agreed and off she went, leaving him to watch and entertain the children downstairs.

 

An hour later, dinner was being had. Kenzie was surprisingly willing to sit at the dinner table with Lance, Bobbi and her siblings, and she ate dinner without much of a problem. It was Ben, however, who insisted on only having his chips and not his fish; that was the opposite problem for Ellie who had her fish, but not her chips. Lance was trying to get him to eat for the last ten minutes. “C’mon mate. Just five bites, or no dessert…”

Ben blinked at him. He wouldn’t take away dessert, would he? He looked at Bobbi, “Dessewt?” That word he understood well.

Bobbi smiled softly, “Yes, dessert. Tonight, I’ve got some yummy pineapple waiting for you guys if you finish eating.”

Ben gasped. How’d she know he liked pineapple? He frowned and held out his little hand wide open, “Five.”

Bobbi nodded, “Five.”

The toddler looked at his food. Well, there were only three fish sticks on his plate. Pssh. He’d be getting the pineapple easy! She hadn’t noticed that there were only three fish sticks. He began eating them easily; he’d definitely won this battle. Bobbi had been counting the amount of bites he’d been eating and realised when he got to 7 bites that he was just going to eat all three fish sticks because that was what he thought she meant. Lane noticed this too and he laughed quietly. Had a toddler just tried to manipulate them? They’d have to watch out for that one…

“Can we has pizza t’mowwow?” Ellie said as she knelt in her chair and wiggled about happily. She was munching on her chips.

Bobbi agreed as she finished eating, “I don’t see why not. Pizza’s healthy…”

“’Nd den mommy’s comin’?” Ben asked, his little mouth full of chips and fish. His little hands were on his sippy-cup, ready to take a sip from his milk.

Bobbi became sad suddenly and Ben, along with Kenzie noticed the change in mood instantly. So much so, Kenzie paused in her eating in order to hear Bobbi’s reply; Ben simply stared at Bobbi, waiting. When was mommy coming back? Bobbi hadn’t been expecting the question. It didn’t make it any easier that she’d seen their parents’ dead body as the investigation went on. That their loss had been her gain since she’d gotten three beautiful children out of them, despite the fact that it was their first day together. The guilt was almost unbearable…

Bobbi stood, she’d noticed the time and remembered that it was time for Kenzie’s last dose of medicine before bed. She was trying to figure out how to reply to the question. Best way to explain death to toddlers. Thank God for her husband and his save, “How about we watch a movie before bed? It’ll explain where mummy went. Have you ever seen _The Lion King_?”

The kids eyed Lance curiously. A king who was a lion? Sounded interesting enough…

 

Dinner finished and baths had, it was around 7:15. The children were due for bed, but they figured staying up an hour later wouldn’t hurt. Besides, they could sleep in the following morning. Lance had Kenzie in his lap. She wore her pink, footie pyjamas which had kittens on it and was dozing off before the movie even started. Ellie was dressed in the same type of pyjamas, except hers were all white. It’d been the one she’d chosen after Bobbi had bathed her, so they let the girl be. Kenzie had refused to let go of Froggy. So Bobbi had to bathe her with one arm in the air while the whole time so Froggy wouldn’t get wet.

Ben was afraid of water. Lance learned that the hard way when he tried to put them in the bath and he kicked and screamed as if he was about to be murdered. He’d bribed him with chocolate after the bath. It worked. After all that, they found themselves sitting on the couch with the children after Bobbi had put on the movie and they were watching.

Kenzie didn’t last long and fell asleep when the animals started talking. Ben and Ellie wanted to know where they’re mommy was, so they stuck it out. By the end of the movie, Ben and Ellie were confused, “I dun’ see mommy!”

Bobbi took a breath, “Do you remember what happened to Mufasa that made Simba really sad? When he wouldn’t wake up?”

The toddlers nodded and she took a deep breath, “That happened to mommy and daddy too…”

“Mommy not comin’ back? Or Daddy?” Ellie whispered sadly, seemingly understanding. “Evew? Even if-if-if m’a big, brave giwl like daddy tolded me?”

Lance scrunched up his face, “Well, darling, usually dead people don’t wake up, I’m sorry…”

“Oh,” Ellie looked like she would cry.

Ben frowned, “No.” He refused to believe his parents weren’t coming back.

Bobbi took the boy into her arms and said lowly, “I know it’s hard to understand right now, and I’m sorry for that, Ben…”

“I wan’ mommy!” He screeched and began wailing loudly.

Perhaps keeping the children up past bedtime had been a bad idea. Bobbi tried to calm him down, but he wasn’t having any of it, so she picked him up and walked over into the kitchen, while Lance took Ellie and Kenzie up to bed. Ellie was quiet and sad. Bobbi got him some water as he screamed and handed it to him. Ben angrily smacked it out of his hand and the sippy cup hit the floor. Bobbi tried to empathise with the boy. He was confused, frustrated and hurt. He didn’t know how to handle the bundle of emotions, it was late so he was kicking off. She held him close and began rocking him as she walked around the kitchen and dining room with him. Ben’s screams eventually subsided to whimpers and his small arms wrapped around Bobbi’s neck. Bobbi took it as a good sign and she pressed a kiss to his head, still walking and rocking him while holding him close.

It wasn’t long before Ben had fallen asleep in her arms and she took him up to bed. It was half past nine at night at that point. Once she’d tucked him in and checked on Ellie and Kenzie, she went over to her and Lance’s room and she sat down heavily on the bed beside him, putting her head inher hands.

Lance watched his wife and quietly walked around the bed to her side and he knelt down in front of her, taking her face into his hands and he whispered, “C’mon, love. It’s been a long day for all of us.”

Bobbi nodded quietly, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. She didn’t say anything for fear of what would come out so she simply kept nodding. Lance pressed a kiss to her lips and he said quietly, “Let’s get to bed. Everything will seem better tomorrow, I promise.”

Climbing into bed after changing into her sleepwear, Bobbi found Lance’s arms around her the instant she’d shut off the lights. The two laid there, face to face, her forehead pressed against his, their noses touching. Bobbi inhaled the scent of Lance’s aftershave and she felt a calm rush through her. Sighing softly, she whispered, “Thank you.”

“I love you,” Lance replied easily.

Bobbi nodded and repeated the words to him, holding onto him. She didn’t need to say anything more, she knew Lane would be there no matter what, and that was all she needed. Tomorrow would be another day... Tomorrow would be better.


	8. Their Mistake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH GOSH! It's almost been a month since my last update and I am so incredibly sorry for that, guys! The muse has been very low since I started working. My kids have been keeping my on my toes and I just get home absolutely exhausted, so writing's been the last thing on my list. However, here's an update. I'm not too happy with how the chapter came out so please forgive me for that. I needed to get some things set up and that's what the chapter was for, hopefully it set up right. Thank you so much for your continued support! It makes me so happy!!! Next update shouldn't be too long away!

The following few days were pretty slow. The days were spent at home becoming accustomed with the change in everyone’s life. The children spent a lot of time playing in the backyard and playroom with Bobbi and Lance. Since their explanation about what had happened to their mommy and daddy, the children – mainly Ellie and Ben as Kenzie still hid under tables most of the time- would ask when they were coming back. Bobbi and Lance would have to remind them of what happened in The Lion King. By the end of day 3, as Lance and Bobbi tucked Ellie and Ben in, Ellie whispered, “Mommy and Daddy awe in da staws…” Ben had nodded in agreement. Neither of the two mentioned the subject again.

Whilst Kenzie hid under the table with “Fwoggy”, Lance would usually lay next to her, though not _underneath_ the table because that would just be silly. He had a lot of reading to do, for Kenzie’s sake. He wanted to make sure they did everything they could to help their little girl. So, he spent all the time he could get during those few days doing his research. Kenzie liked the company. Lance was quiet and she liked silence more than loudness. Loudness hurt her ears and head. Sometimes he would read to her what he was reading about, even though he knew she couldn't really understand. Kenzie would listen. And when she was tired of listening, she'd place Froggy on Lance’s stomach and pretend he was walking up his chest and then she'd take away the book and say “No mowe.”  Lance understood those words loud and clear. So he'd coax Kenzie out, change her diaper and take her to the playroom to play. Often times she was okay with it, but sometimes she would complain about having to leave her living room safe haven.

Lance and Bobbi’s backyard was half grass and half concrete. Though the two were now rethinking the concrete part and were considering putting something softer there for the children. Day two, they'd taken the kids out to play in the backyard. They had balls and hula hoops along with a bunch of fun toys for three active three-year-olds. But Kenzie has screamed at the top of her lungs when her toes had touched the grass, despite the fact that she had sneakers on. Turned out she was terrified of grass. An odd fear in Lance’s opinion, but he let her be. Kenzie settled for sitting underneath the patio table on the _concrete_ part of the large backyard.

The children were getting to know Lance and Bobbi as well as the two adults were getting to know the children. They were quickly learning that Lance was the silly one and Bobbi acted a lot like mommy. They both would take time to play with the children and give them cuddles whenever the children asked for them, but they also knew to leave them alone. They could tell that Bobbi and Lance loved each other very much, though they’d notice that Lance was much more open and goofy about it than Bobbi…

They finally gathered the courage to take the children out with them on day five. Mainly because everyone was getting cabin fever. Thus found Lance trying to get Ellie into her ladybird backpack leash, but the little girl was watching the “Fresh Beat Band” and wouldn't stop dancing around, making the whole process a lot more difficult than necessary. Stupid Fresh Band. He turned Ellie around and pleaded, “Just for one second, love,” and then quickly put on the backpack and fastened it around her small body.

Ben had already put on his and Bobbi had fastened it, so he sat on the couch with a book, all ready to go. Bobbi gently coaxed Kenzie out from under the table and put her kitten bag on her and fixed her pink tutu which had gone lopsided. That was what Kenzie had chosen to wear that day, who was she to tell her otherwise?

All ready to go, Lance exclaimed, “Onwards!”

The children blinked, obviously not understanding the Doctor Who reference. Bobbi rolled her eyes at him while he scowled and she translated, “It means we can go now… C’mon. The mall awaits us.”

As they walked to the car, Bobbi holding onto Kenzie and Ben and Lance holding onto Ellie, Kenzie looked up at Bobbi and mumbled, “I pwetty dance pwincess kitty.” She gave Bobbi a smile.

Bobbi beamed. Kenzie had slowly began warming up to her. She would now give her brief hugs and cuddle up to her if she was very sleepy, she also would have moment where she would follow her around the house while Bobbi got things done, just like a faithful shadow on a sunny day. Lance and Bobbi had slowly began to notice where Kenzie was developmentally delayed. Apart from being sensitive to loud sounds and not knowing how to react to new people or being taken out of a common environment, her motor skills were behind as well. That was normal though, and Lance and Bobbi had vowed to help her develop those skills soon. The main purpose for their outing was to get the children used to going out with Bobbi and Lance, getting more books and getting them to the park to burn off some energy. The couple had also been talking about signing the kids up for sports and the like.

After getting them all buckled into the back of the car, -Lance had gone out and bought the three car seats, and then gone to the fire station to have them help him install the bloody things after he’d spent four hours trying to do it himself- they handed each child something to keep them entertained during the ride. Ben got a book, Kenzie got “Fwoggy” and Ellie got music, which was provided when the car was turned on. The drive had been uneventful. Ellie tried to sing along to every song that came along on the radio but failing quite a bit. She picked up the melodies and chorus pretty easily, but butchered the rest of the words.

Lance reached his right hand over during the drive and clasped it around Bobbi’s left, which had been resting on her thigh. He squeezed it gently and winked at his wife momentarily at a red light, a slight smirk on his face. Bobbi simply rolled her eyes at him and looked back at the children. It wasn’t long before they’d arrived at the shopping centre and they got their brood out of the car, keeping a tight grip on the leashes. Somehow, Lance ended up with both Kenzie and Ellie this time. Kenzie was eating Ellie’s hair again, for whatever reason and Ellie was singing some song she’d made up on the spot. Bobbi held onto Ben’s lead as the little boy hopped in place excitedly. “We goin’ on a’vent’re!” he exclaimed.

Some people who had been walking by, looked at him when they heard his exclamation and laughed quietly, cooing at how cute he was. Ben blushed and hid behind Bobbi shyly. Bobbi laughed and picked him up, swinging her large bag over her right shoulder. She didn’t used to carry a bag, but now she was forced to. Where else would she keep the children’s snacks, Band-Aids and antiseptic, as well as Kenzie’s pull-ups, wipes and medicine? Okay, so maybe she was carrying around a purse turned diaper bag; maybe she should look into getting a proper one while they were shopping. Or maybe she should just pack less?

The leads proved to be extra helpful when they walked into the large building. There were many people there, and no matter what kind of toddler someone had, they all tended to run off at one point or another. Ben had attempted to do so when his eyes landed on Book-topia across the way and he gasped. He’d sped off, but Bobbi’s grip on his leash kept him from going too far and falling back when he’d reached the end of his slack and falling on his butt. Ben blinked a few times and looked like he would cry, one hand reaching out toward the book store as he sniffled. Bobbi got to him and picked him up, “Do you want to go to the bookstore?”

He nodded quietly, rubbing his eyes and sniffling. She smiled, “You’re in luck, that’s where we’re heading. But no more running off, alright?” her tone was firm toward that last request. Ben nodded again.

Four hours and five shops later, the cranky children implied to Bobbi and Lance that it was time to go do something that wasn’t so mind numbing. Four hours was a long time and they were surprised they’d held out that long. It was nearing three in the afternoon, and with lunch had, the five headed to the park so the children could blow off some steam. Kenzie was having a tantrum though. She wasn’t happy. She was exhausted, it was nearing time for her medicine which Bobbi and Lance were completely forgetting despite it being inside of her bag and she wanted to be held. But a cranky toddler wasn’t that good at words, so she was simply crying and screaming the entire way to the park. She didn’t want to go anywhere else, she wanted to go home.

“Shhh, Kenzie,” Ellie said to her little sister as she screamed through the entire car ride to the park.

Bobbi looked to Lance and she asked, “Maybe you can try to calm her down when we get there?”

Lance nodded and parked the car near the park. Bobbi quickly got out and got Ellie and Ben out of the car. She led them to the park as Lance got Kenzie out. He cuddled the little girl close and held her tight, “Easy love, calm down…” He began rocking her and humming. Kenzie was still crying though.

She wanted to go _home_. She’d thrown Froggy at some point during her tantrum, and now she was regretting it. She wanted Froggy. Her head hurt, and so did her eyes and her legs and her arms. Her small hands found Lance’s ear and she began playing with it as he soothed her outside in the parking lot. She could hear the kids playing and it made her a bit sad. She wanted to play with the kids too, but she was tired. She didn’t know what she wanted to do anymore. Mackenzie gave up and began crying again. Lance felt like a fish out of water. He didn’t know how to calm her down. He wasn’t sure she _could_ be calmed down.

The crying escalated and she began screaming for her mama; like a mantra, over and over as she cried. Lance felt an unfamiliar sense of guilt wash over him. He couldn’t help her. His new daughter was crying and in pain and he couldn’t do anything to soothe her because her mother was dead and she wasn’t ever coming back. Lance wanted to cry along with her. So, Lance held Kenzie just a bit tighter to his chest and he rubbed her back, swaying softly with her and kissing the side of her head.

It wasn’t long before her cries slowly died down to whimpers again and she dozed off, though every so often, she still cried out for her mama. Lance swallowed hard and wondered in that moment if they could really do it. If he and Bobbi truly had the strength to look after these kids and give them the family and love they needed and deserved…

 

It wasn't long before Kenzie had cried herself to sleep. Lance felt terrible that he hadn't been able to console her and as a result she had cried herself to sleep! It was cruel! As her father he should've been able to… Do something. Then again, was he really her father though? At this point the children had spent so little time with them that, she probably just saw him as silly “Wance”. He found his way over to an information board outside the park entrance and looked on it. He found that they held “ ~~soccer~~ ” _football_ Lance corrected in his thoughts, three times a week for ages 2-4. That would be great for the kids and it'd help Kenzie get over her fear of grass, hopefully. Lance took a picture of the flyer with his phone, since his other arm was occupied with a sleeping child before he walked into the playground where Bobbi was playing on the swings with Ellie and Ben.

Bobbi still had the instincts of a spy, naturally considering she’d spent the majority of her adult-life glancing not over her shoulders for an enemy waiting to attack. Now she had three precious, tiny lives to guard and she was more alert than ever. She couldn't let anything happen to these children. She'd surveyed the area when they walked in. There were three children on the jungle gyms, two hiding underneath it, four playing in the sandbox and one other child on the swings. Ten kids. Adults there were 4, three women and a man, he was there with the four children playing in the sandbox. He was their father. It was a safe area. She was glad for that. Ben and Ellie squealed happily and clapped as she pushed them on the swings. Lance joined them a moment later and she smiled a bit, “She fell asleep. Is she okay?”

“She cried herself to sleep while screaming for her m-a-m-a,” Lance said quietly to Bobbi as he rocked her slightly.

Bobbi frowned, “Oh…” That broke her heart as much as Lance’s face told her it did him. “Should we head home?”

Lance shook his head, “Let’s leave Ben and Ellie a little while more. She’s already asleep anyway. Maybe ten more minutes? They need to have a nap as well,” he pointed out.

Bobbi nodded and agreed.

 

That day, the two learned that nap time was never to be delayed or skipped considering the meltdown Ben and Ellie had leaving the playground. Kenzie was fast asleep through it all. By the time they’d gotten home, Ellie and Ben had fallen asleep in their car seats. Bobbi and Lance got the children upstairs and in bed. It was as Bobbi unpacked the purse where she’d kept snacks and such for the children that her hand came into contact with Kenzie’s seizure medicine bottle. Her hand wrapped around it and she lifted it out and stared at the bottle. She felt dread overwhelm her stomach when she realised she’d forgotten to give Kenzie her medicine in the craze of the day. Oh no…

She’d opened her mouth to call for Lance when he beat her to the punch. From the living room, she heard her husband call frantically, “Bob! Bobbi!”

Bobbi put everything down and rushed into the living room. The dread in her stomach was confirmed, causing her stomach to squeeze impossibly and as a result, she felt like throwing up.

 

After they’d settled the children upstairs to sleep, Lance had decided to keep Kenzie downstairs with him since she was probably due to wake up soon anyway. Besides, he was still worried about the way she’d cried herself to sleep earlier that afternoon so he wasn’t ready to let her go just yet. He’d settled into the couch with one of the parenting books and Kenzie asleep on the couch beside him, her small feet against his leg. As he flipped the pages to where he had left off, Bobbi had said something about unpacking her purse and setting up the new diaper bag they’d bought. He’d simply nodded vaguely.

Kenzie had let out a weird, strangled noise and Lance looked up and over at the little girl who was sleeping on her stomach. He frowned at the look on the little girl’s face. She looked like she was in pain. Lance reached out to wake the toddler, afraid she was maybe having a nightmare. But when he touched her shoulder, he found that she was stiff and just as he went to turn her over, she began shaking. Her entire tiny body was tense and shaking, her skin was pale and she was crying out, her tiny hands fisted tightly while her eyes fluttered open and they looked so distant. Lance’s heart stopped. He couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t move and all he could think to do was to call Bobbi.

Luckily she came running almost immediately. Kenzie’s body was still shaking though and she was still making noises as if she was in pain and all Lance wanted to do was hold her, make it better, take the pain away… Bobbi swallowed hard and managed to keep her head about her. She tried to remember the seizure first aid she’d learned years back and prayed that they applied for children as they did for adults. “Okay, everything’s going to be okay. Let’s not move her off the couch, but let’s make sure she doesn’t fall off either. She doesn’t need anything in her mouth because she won’t swallow her tongue, uhm…” she tried to keep track of all of her thoughts.

Bobbi knelt down beside where Kenzie was seizing and she gently stroked the girl’s hair, softly whispering that she was okay, that everything would be alright. “Lance and I’ve got you, sweetie,” Bobbi said to the unconscious three year old. “Lance, make sure you’re timing it.” She gently cleared Kenzie’s mouth when she saw a bit of drool and foam coming out.

It was the longest three minutes of their lives. Lance’s gaze would shift between Kenzie, his wife and his watch, watching slowly as the second hand ticked by. Finally, Kenzie’s body relaxed considerably and the little girl’s eyes closed and opened a few times, though she still looked a bit dazed, Bobbi’s shoulders sagged, “Okay… She’s back,” she whispered. That was when she allowed the overwhelming guilt to wash over her. This was her fault. Had she remembered to give Kenzie her medicine, then… Now wasn’t the time. Maybe tonight. Now she needed to focus on the girl.

Lance swallowed, “Should we get her something to eat or water?”

Bobbi shook her head, “No, we’ll just watch her for now. I’ll call her doctor in a second. If she has another one we’ll have to go to the hospital though,” she said quietly.

Lance reached out and squeezed Bobbi’s hand, the one that was resting on Kenzie’s small back and he whispered, “Wasn’t your fault, love.”

She just shook her head at him and went back to focusing on Kenzie, stroking her hair, watching her closely. The little girl shifted a little bit on the couch and rolled onto her side. She smiled a bit at Bobbi and Lance and mumbled, “Hi.”

“Hello there, beautiful. How are ya feelin’?” Lance asked her softly, reaching out and poking her nose gently.

Kenzie managed a small giggle and then closed her eyes again. She was sleepy. Opening her eyes again, Kenzie realised she wanted to be held. She wanted someone’s arms holding her tightly. She felt scared right then, despite the smile and small giggle. Her tummy felt weird. She held her arms out to Bobbi, surprising all three of them and Bobbi nodded, gently picking Kenzie up and holding her close to her chest, “Alright pretty girl. How about we get you some medicine and then you and I can take a nap together, hmm?” she kissed the top of Kenzie’s head.

It’d surprised her that the little girl had wanted her. She was very aware of the fact that Kenzie hadn’t fully warmed up to her, however, she very much welcomed the surprise. She kissed Kenzie’s head again as Lance walked off to get the medicine after Bobbi had mentioned it, and she sat down on the couch, holding Kenzie close. Kenzie’s thumb went into her mouth instantly and she mumbled around it, “Fwoggy?”

Bobbi reached out beside her and grabbed the bear and presented it to Kenzie. The little girl held it between her and Bobbi as her head rested against Bobbi’s chest and the rest of her small body was curled on Bobbi’s lap. Once they’d given Kenzie her medicine, it wasn’t long before the little girl fell asleep to Bobbi’s humming.

Looking over at her husband, Bobbi whispered, “That can never happen again. I know it was my fault for forgetting to give her the medicine and…”

“We’re both to blame, darling. I could’ve remembered too,” Lance sat down beside Bobbi and kissed her lip softly, “Easy now. She’s fine. We’ll call her doctor and… We’ll set up alarms on our phones to remember and everything’s fine.” He was just remembering how to breathe, but yes, everything was fine…

Bobbi nodded and chose to believe Lance. Why not?

 

 

The instant Ben and Ellie woke up from their naps, they ran downstairs, both remembering where they were and the fun things that Bobbi and Lance had for them. Their target was the playroom, naturally, with no regard to the fact that they had to go potty and they were feeling a bit hungry. Ellie stopped short when she walked into the living room though, finding there Bobbi on the couch, cuddling Kenzie who didn’t look very good. Kenzie was staring off at the TV while holding Froggy. Ben ran into Ellie’s back because he hadn’t noticed she’d stopped short, causing Ellie to tumble forward. Ellie gave Ben an annoyed look and she pointed toward the couch. Ben looked up and noticed Kenzie there with Bobbi and Froggy and he too realised the same thing Ellie had. The triplets were connected in various ways; knowing when one was sick or unwell was one of those ways.

Ellie and Ben neared their little sister and climbed up onto the couch. Bobbi looked at them and was about to speak to them, but she noticed that the children hadn’t even acknowledged her. They did, however, snuggle up against Kenzie while Ellie was stroking her baby sister’s hair affectionately. Bobbi slowly got up from the couch to give the toddlers a moment and Ben took where Bobbi had been sitting and hugged Kenzie as well, his little arms wrapping around her little stomach. Bobbi kissed their three heads and said to Ellie and Ben, “Careful with Kenzie, okay?”

The two older ones nodded and mumbled, “Kay…”

And Bobbi walked into the kitchen where Lance was making dinner just as her phone rang. Before she could say anything to Lance, she answered the FaceTime call from Skye. Bobbi ducked into the downstairs office and had to grin at the excited greeting Skye gave her, “How are you guys!? I see you’re still alive. So your new little monsters haven’t killed you yet?”

Bobbi laughed, “No, they haven’t. Not for lack of trying through. How are you guys over there?”

“The usual. Fitz and Jemma are still poking at that rock thing. Fitz is convinced it’s going to eat someone, Jemma says he’s being ridiculous. May and Coulson have been spending _way_ too much time together. The other day Coulson was saying something and he gave me that look May gives when she’s very unamused… It was a little creepy,” Skye shuddered over the camera.

Bobbi shook her head at Skye and laughed a bit, “You do know that those two have more history than the British monarchy. They’ve always spent _too_ much time together. They might as well go on and get married. Don’t you dare quote me on that though,” Bobbi said the last bit in a firm and stern tone.

“Well, I can’t tell them it was _my_ idea when I make that suggestion to them. Maybe you can tell them when they go over,” Skye said as she popped her gum.

Bobbi rolled her eyes at her and then paused, “When are they coming over?” Had she forgot something?

“In a couple of days or something, I think... Coulson said he spoke to Lance about it,” Skye replied, looking away for a moment to talk to someone else.

Bobbi mumbled under her breath about killing her husband when suddenly she was met with Jemma’s face on her screen, “Agent Morse, how are you?” she said with a slight giggle.

The ex-Mockingbird laughed a bit, “I’m not an agent anymore, Jemma, you can call me Bobbi, and you know that.”

“Ah, well, old habits die hard. Can we see the children?” Jemma asked, bouncing slightly from excitement. From beside her, Skye called, “Wait! I want to see!” And then the two managed to fit on her screen.

“Sure, just give me a second. They’re all cuddled up on the couch right now. Hey, Jemma, I want to ask you something, but later. Will you be available tonight? I doubt I’ll have time to sit and have this conversation with you right now with Lance up and about,” Bobbi said in a teasing tone as she walked out of the office and towards the living room where Lance had joined the children on the couch.

“Here they are, my four toddlers,” Bobbi showed the girls the triplets mainly. “That’s Ben, Kenzie and Ellie,” she pointed to each one from a distance but made sure they knew who was who.

The girls cooed and awed loudly before one of them called Fitz over and Fitz joined them in that, though he tried to sound a bit manlier about it. After another ten minutes of conversation, they hung up with the promise to see each other soon. Bobbi looked pointedly at Lance, her eyebrows drawn and her lips in a tight line while her hands were settled on her hips.

Ben acknowledged her stance before Lance had and he leaned over to Lance, since he was sitting on the other side of him, and asked curiously, “She look mad, Wance. Whadd’ya do?”

Lance was in deep thought, trying to and came up blank, “That’s what I’m tryin’ to figure out, mate.“

“Ya fo’get to pee-pee in da potty?” Ellie asked Lance, hoping to help.

Lance bit back a laugh and shook his head, “No,… I-I’m definitely very potty-trained, love.”

“Ya fo’get t’pick up youw toys?” Ben offered.

“I haven’t got toys,” Lance blinked.

“Lyin’s not nice, Wance,” Ellie said firmly.

Bobbi would’ve allowed the conversation to go on a bit longer, but she couldn’t and she flung a throw-pillow at Lance, “May and Coulson are coming for a visit and you didn’t tell me?”

“Oh... _that_. Yes, they’re coming for the weekend. Which is in... Tomorrow…” he realised and frowned, “Phil told me on Tuesday… Oops?” he tried to give her an innocent smile.

Bobbi sighed. This added to all the things they had to do. May and Coulson were like the parents she was always trying to impress and now they were dropping by and she felt nowhere near ready… The children weren’t even mentally prepared for this either! “We have a lot to get ready then. Especially after Kenzie’s...”

Lance nodded, “Right. We’ll get things ready, don’t worry, Bob,” he promised.

“Lying’s not nice, Lance,” Bobbi said firmly, though her eyes smirked.

Lance looked properly annoyed for that and he threw the pillow back at his wife, but she dodged it expertly.


	9. Their Troubles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Melinda, Phil and Skye are popping in for a visit....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good Lord, I'm so sorry, guys! I absolutely have no excuse for having waited so long to post this! For that, have an extra long chapter! School had started which led to me getting writer's block! But thanks to my friends Jazz and Em, I think I've got my muse back so you'll have another update within a week or two, hopefully! Enjoy! Let me know your thoughts! And have fun with Melinda and Phil's visit! C;

The following morning, Ben was up at the crack of dawn, for whatever ungodly reason, and found himself crawling into Bobbi and Lance’s bed and waking them up. His face came up very close to theirs, the noses all touching and then he said, “Gwampa ‘nd Gwamma comin’ today!”

That startled Lance and Bobbi awake in an instant. Ben looked satisfied with his work as he sat back and grinned at Bobbi and Lance. Bobbi rubbed her eyes and huffed as she tried to shake the remaining sleep. She mumbled groggily, “You excited, Ben?”

Ben stood and bounced on the bed, “Uh-huh! C’mon! We gotsa get weady!”

And then the toddler got off the bed and sped off downstairs.

Lance put his pillow over his head and groaned, “Why do they get all the energy?”

“Hmm…” Bobbi hummed in agreement before pulling back all the covers and muttering, “Get up, Lance. I need you to go get some groceries.” 

* * *

 

Bobbi had her shower after Lance had and got dressed for the day before walking downstairs to the kitchen for some coffee that her nose had already sniffed out. Lance was standing by the threshold of the entryway between the kitchen and living room when she walked in. She noticed he was watching Ben intently. The TV was off, which she figured he’d put some cartoons on for him, but she seemed to be wrong. Bobbi got a cup of coffee before coming to join Lance by the door.

“Why are we watching him?” she whispered to her husband as he took a sip of his coffee.

“Look…” Lance nodded over to Ben sitting in the middle of the couch with a book.

Bobbi raised a brow, “Okay, so he’s sitting there with a book? Lance, you’re going to have to give me a bit more than that because my telepathy powers seem to be failing me today,” she replied sarcastically.

“Are you still cross with me, Bob?” Lance asked slowly.

“Extremely,” Bobbi said plainly and then waited for Lance to explain why they were staring at Ben.

“Look _at_ the book,” Lance said quietly, jutting his chin forward slightly towards the toddler who was sitting on the couch, completely engrossed in the book he was “reading”.

Ben looked as if he was studying the most fascinating thing. He looked like FitzSimmons when they were doing an experiment; his level of concentration was that of someone who was studying Shakespeare and dissecting every single word on the page as if they were coming to life around them. Bobbi noticed a problem though. _The book was upside down._ Bobbi pressed her mouth against Lance’s shoulder in order to muffle the sound of her laughing. It was by far the cutest thing she’d ever seen. He looked so into this book about… Apparently an elephant and a pig learning to fly, and the thing was upside down. She watched as Ben apparently finished reading the page and he turned it, _backwards._ Bobbi giggled softly and she looked at her husband, “Alright, you’re off the hook. But you need to go fix the book before you go.”

Lance pouted, “But it’ll break his concentration?”

“He’ll get it back. Lance, our child is reading upside down and backwards. Watch him grow up to be one of those kids who thinks we read from right to left instead of from left to right.”

“That’s still a concept I don’t really understand about the English language,” Lance grumbled as he finished his coffee, dropping off his Homer Simpson mug in the sink.

Bobbi made a sound of acknowledgement before adding, “Leave already, we need stuff for today.”

Lance nodded, kissed her cheek and walked out of the kitchen to leave. Before doing so though, he went over to turn the book over to Ben. The little boy did a little tug of war with Lance over the book when Ben realised Lance was trying to take it away. But, Lance won out and Ben made a small sound of annoyance before Lance placed the book back in his small hands. And as Lance walked away, he and Bobbi heard Ben gasp softly as if suddenly recognising something and mumbling to himself, “Ohh…” 

* * *

 

“Skye, we’re not going to be there very long. We’re only going to go for today and tomorrow, we’ll be back by Sunday at around noon,” Phil told the agent as he walked into the kitchen of the base.

“But you’ll get to meet Bobbi and Lance’s little terrorists,” Skye half whined as she followed Phil. Melinda walked behind her silently.

Phil blinked and looked back at Skye and then at Melinda, “Skye, you don’t even like kids, judging by the fact that you just called them terrorists.”

“But these are Bobbi’s and Lance’s. I’m kind of forced to like them,” Skye pointed out.

Melinda sighed a bit, as did Phil, “Alright, you can come along. Text Bobbi and let her know,” Phil told her firmly.

Skye grinned widely, doing a little dance before running out of the kitchen calling behind her, “Thanks!”

Melinda smirked a bit as she watched Skye walking off, “She needed this, you know.”

“Why else would I say yes? This is going to be an interesting weekend.”

Melinda made a sound of affirmation and a slight smirk graced her lips.

* * *

 

At the sound of the doorbell, Mackenzie crawled under the coffee table, whilst Ben and Ellie quickly abandoned their colouring pages in front of the television and they ran to the door. “They hewe!” Ellie called loudly to Bobbi and Lance as Ben banged his small hands against the glass part of the door while trying to look through one of the small, clear squares to peek at the adults on the other side.

“Alright, alright, we’re coming,” Bobbi said as she walked to the door and opened it. Lance was downstairs doing something or another. She chuckled and opened the door carefully and Ben only managed to move back from the door because he was “helping” Bobbi open the door.

The little boy gasped when he saw Melinda and Phil and grinned as if he’d known him all his short life and he ran instantly for Phil’s legs, tackling them, “Grampa!” he exclaimed.

Bobbi had to bite her lips to fight the laugh. She wasn’t even able to greet them properly seeing as Ben tackled Phil, Ellie attached herself to Melinda’s leg, “Hi,” the little girl said to her and slowly began climbing up to the best of her ability.

Phil laughed and picked Ben up, “I’m Grandpa? You must be Benjamin, huh?”

Ben nodded quickly, “Wance say you grampa, ‘nd you visit wif Gramma.” He pointed to Melinda when he mentioned Grandma.

Melinda raised a brow at Ellie before being forced to pick her up if she was going to make her way into the house at all. At Ben’s explanation of the family tree, Melinda had to laugh and she looked at Bobbi, “I think we’re missing a few steps in order for us to be their grandparents, don’t you think?”

Bobbi felt some heat rise to her cheeks as she waved it off, “How else would we explain our relationship to you guys to toddlers?” she pointed out as she gave Melinda a hug hello.

“How are you?” Melinda asked Bobbi, looking at her up and down, “You look good, Bobbi.”

“Thank you, the kids have kept me in shape, I’ll admit. You’re looking fantastic as always,” Bobbi chuckled.

Ellie gently hit Melinda’s face, “Gramma. Gramma? Gramma? Gramma, hi. M’Ellie,” she told her.

Melinda turned to look at the child in her arms and gave her a stern look, “I know you are Ellie, but I am currently speaking to Bobbi. You say excuse me if you want to speak to say something, alright?”

Ellie looked properly admonished and the three-year-old mumbled an apology. “’Use me,” she tried as she looked at Melinda a moment later.

“Yes, Ellie?” Melinda relented and smiled a bit, “Hi, m’Ellie. ‘nd dats Ben, he’s m’bwoder. ‘Nd Kenzie’s under the table,” she pointed to the coffee table in the living room.

Melinda nodded, “Ah, I see. Go see if you can get her to come out and say hello,” she told Ellie and she put the little girl down. Ellie rushed off.

Phil took the moment to come inside as well with Ben, who was chattering a mile a minute and he said hello to Bobbi as best he could. Apparently Phil could follow the three-year-old’s chatter perfectly. And then Skye appeared from behind Bobbi and she gave her a large, tight hug gasping, “I’ve missed you!” The hacker muttered, though it was something she didn’t very openly admit about just anybody.

Bobbi squeezed Skye, “It’s good to see you.” 

* * *

 

With hellos and such said, the three guests made their way to the living room and plopped down on the couch, all adults in a conversation about something the kids couldn’t really understand. Ellie and Ben were elbowing each other over who’d be able to sit in Melinda’s lap. Ellie won the battle when Phil picked Ben up and placed him in his own lap. Ellie grinned and stuck her tongue out at her little brother. Ben pouted. Skye blinked a few times and looked at Bobbi and Lance, “They’re just like you two!”

Lance grinned widely, “Not yet. We’re working on the British side of ‘em now.”

Bobbi rolled her eyes at Lance before nodding at Skye, “We’ve rubbed off on them, yeah. A few days ago, Ellie called me “Bobs” in Lance’s accent. It was kind of cute, if I hadn’t been in the middle of disciplining her for something.”

Ellie grinned up at Melinda proudly. Melinda rolled her eyes and shook her head at the girl, a slight smile on her face. Skye was sitting on the floor, by the coffee table, trying to coax Kenzie out, but the little girl wouldn’t budge, no matter how much Skye bribed her or promised her things. Kenzie just wasn’t ready to come out; why didn’t the brown-haired girl understand that? Kenzie inched away slightly from Skye, sniffling a bit.

“C’mon… I promise I won’t bite. I’m actually really nice. I won’t even make the room quake or another. I took care of that problem. Please come out?” Skye pouted at the little girl.

“She’ll come out when she’s ready, Skye,” Melinda told the younger agent as she made a face at Ellie when the little girl took to hiding her small hands in Melinda’s hair and sniffing her ear. “Have you turned into a dog?” she raised a brow at the three-year-old.

“Woof,” Ellie replied with a giggle.

Phil laughed from beside Melinda and said, “I like her.”

“Of course you do,” Melinda rolled her eyes at Phil with a smirk. 

* * *

 

Skye had managed to sneak under the coffee table beside Kenzie, but it confined the toddler to a far corner of the table. Kenzie wasn’t feeling well. She was cranky and she wanted to be left alone. She began sniffling and a small whimper left her lips. Her head hurt and she wanted to sleep but also be held. But she didn’t want Skye, she wanted her mommy. And her mommy wasn’t here anymore. Her head really hurt. All she had was Bobbi, who was like mommy, but it still wasn’t the same. Lance was talking about something, something in the kitchen. She didn’t want to be left behind like mommy left her behind. And daddy, daddy had left her as well… From her spot, Kenzie’s wide eyes watched as everyone began getting up to go to the kitchen, and she didn’t want to be forgotten. Kenzie began crying loudly as she fisted her little hands and tightened her body into a small ball. Froggy wasn’t even around. Froggy made her feel better sometimes, but she couldn’t remember where she had left him and he wasn’t there now either…

The older brunette frowned and looked over at the little girl from under the table and she reached out to take her. Lance stopped her though, telling Skye he’d take care of it and he gently picked up Kenzie from under the table. But when Lance stood straight with her, Kenzie completely lost it. She began screeching as she cried, her small fists hitting Lance’s face and chest as she kicked and squirmed to get down.

Bobbi noticed what was going on from the kitchen where she had been setting the table so they could have lunch. The commotion drew her attention away from the pasta she had prepared. What in the world was going on? She thought back and made sure that she had given Kenzie her medicine that morning. She had. Her next dosage was coming up in just an hour, could that be it? Had she slept properly the night before? Maybe she was getting sick? Her mind reeled. Had she done something wrong? Had she screwed up again? Had she failed her? Melinda stood beside Bobbi, looking on. She noticed that Bobbi looked _guilty_ for whatever reason… Phil had Ben and Ellie occupied at the table, playing with their coloured-plastic forks and spoons.

Coming out from under the table, Skye looked at Lance confused, “What’s going on with her? She was fine a second ago…”

Lance looked out of depth again and baffled. Kenzie didn’t usually throw a tantrum. “I don’t know…” He tried to calm down the screaming child as she hit and kicked him. Her little foot kicked a specific part of Lance that made him groan and wince in pain. Sure he had _great_ fighting skills, but when it came to a toddler throwing a tantrum, he was a fish out of water.

“Put her down, Lance!” Bobbi called as she put down the plates and went to deal with the situation.

Melinda stopped her though as Lance went on to put Kenzie down on the floor where she flopped down onto the carpeted living room and continued crying, screaming and kicking without reason. Or at least without reasoning that the adults couldn’t understand. It was weird. Kenzie didn’t want them to be upset with her or anything of the sort, but she was feeling so many things in that moment, she just didn’t know how to react to it. She wanted to be held. But, she didn’t want Lance or Bobbi! She wanted her mommy! HER MOMMY! Why couldn’t they understand that?

Her little face as red at this point, and everyone else seemed to be at a lost. Skye stammered, “Do we just ignore her? It doesn’t really seem right…”

Melinda came over. She pulled up the navy blue sleeves of her V-neck, cotton shirt, and took a deep breath as she bent down in front of the screaming and wiggling child. “Mackenzie…”

Mackenzie didn’t seem to hear her though. Melinda didn’t try again. Instead she reached out and somehow picked up the squirming child, held her close as she walked upstairs with her without a word to anyone. Mackenzie continued her screaming and crying though, even more so now that she was being held by a stranger.

Lance blinked a few times as they all watched Melinda go, “She’s not about to kill our daughter, is she?”

Phil gave Lance a look from the table that clearly said, ‘You _idiot_ ’ though his lips simply formed a disapproving scowl. 

* * *

 

Upstairs, Melinda had found the nursery rather easily. She held Mackenzie close to her chest, her small face tucking into Melinda’s neck when she had stopped resisting her. Though the sobbing continued on the toddler’s behalf, she was now clinging to Melinda for dear life. This told the older woman that the toddler was probably just scared. Melinda would claim that she wasn’t good with children; she would claim she didn’t “like” children and that they just weren’t for her. But the truth of the matter was that she had a deeper maternal instinct than most women, who did the same job as she, did. Losing everything you once knew was hard. Melinda knew that better than anyone; having the world swiped from under you was something she’d experienced more than once, the most recent occasion leaving her a completely altered person.

Spotting a rocking chair in the corner of the room, Melinda made her way over and she sat down with Mackenzie, holding the toddler close and beginning to rock her. As her lips parted, Melinda began to softly sing a Chinese lullaby to Kenzie that her father used to sing to her when she was upset. Kenzie still cried loudly and fought a bit, but Melinda had her arms wrapped tightly and securely around the child; it seemed to help considerably. Not long after having sat with her, Kenzie’s sobs turned into soft whimpers and whines before completely dying down to sniffles.

Kenzie felt much more relaxed now. There was something about Melinda… The way she held her and her seemingly firm but loving way reminded her so much of her mommy. She made her feel safe too when she held her very tightly and that was what she had been wanting all along. She missed the security of mommy’s arms. And Melinda’s voice, rocking and the way she held her gave her all the things she’d been missing all along. Kenzie closed her eyes, her small thumb popping into her mouth. She didn’t fall asleep, she just relished in being held.

Not long after, Melinda stopped. Something felt damp on her lap. Looking down, she noticed that Kenzie’s diaper must’ve started leaking. Her eyebrows furrowed. She’d been _peed_ on. Picking up the little girl and walking over to the changing table, she laid her down on it and quickly changed Kenzie’s diaper. As she changed the diaper, Melinda couldn’t believe she still remembered how to do that, Kenzie stared up at Melinda, quietly talking in nonsense words. Melinda gave the babe a soft smile, gently tapping Kenzie’s nose. Kenzie grinned at Melinda and held her arms out to her “Up, gra’ma…” she told her rather clearly.

Melinda raised a brow at Kenzie, “And who told you I was Grandma?” She picked up the toddler anyway.

Kenzie giggled shyly and hid her face in Melinda’s shoulder holding onto her tight again. Melinda swayed around the children’s room for a little while longer, humming a bit. Melinda continued this motion for a few minutes longer before quietly whispering, “Are you calm now? Are you feeling better now?”

Kenzie nodded slowly, her face tucked securely into Melinda’s neck. “Mmhmm,” she mumbled, much more docile now than before.

“How about we go back downstairs then, hmm? It’s time for lunch you’re probably hungry,” Melinda began walking to the door.

The little girl nodded again and mumbled, “H’ngry.”

“Okay, let’s go see what ~~mommy~~ … Bobbi made for us. She’s a great cook, you know,” the ninja-spy spoke to the little girl as if she was talking to any other adult.

As they began walking out of the room, Mackenzie looked up at the older woman holding her and said, “Fwoggy,” she’d spotted her bear and she wanted it, but she didn’t want to let go of the warm, safe woman. She pointed to the bear on top of her bed a few yards away.

Melinda looked over to where she was pointing and she went and got the bear. Handing it to Kenzie, the little girl hugged it tight, finally letting go of her iron grip on Melinda. She tucked the stuffed animal between herself and Melinda’s bosom. There Froggy was safe. The older woman found herself kissing Kenzie’s forehead tenderly and she muttered against it, “Let’s go eat.”

As they walked downstairs, she asked the little girl, “What colour is Froggy? Do you know?”

The three-year-old stared at her blankly, and shook her head, hiding her face in her bear. Melinda smiled, “that’s okay. Froggy has _black_ fur. Can you say ‘black’?”

Kenzie nodded and whispered lowly, “Bwack…”

Chuckling slightly, Melinda praised her in a way she had never praised any of her subordinates that she trained. Melinda gently squeezed Kenzie and said lowly to her, “Very good job.”

One her way down the stairs with the blonde child, they noticed Phil at the bottom of the steps. He smiled warmly up at them and said, “I was just coming up to check on you guys. Everything okay?”

Melinda gently bounced Kenzie as she came to a stop at the bottom of the steps, looking at Phil in front of her, “Everything’s fine now. We’re a little hungry, so we’re going to have lunch and then I think it’ll be naptime, what do you say to that, Kenz?”

The toddler seemed to be far away, but she nodded to the plan Melinda had made. So long as Melinda didn’t let her go, she was fine. Kenzie looked over at Phil briefly then up at Melinda and muttered, “Gramma,” as if letting him know that this was her grandma and there was nothing he could say about it that would change it. Then she held up Froggy to Phil and said, “Fwoggy.” She all but shoved the bear into Phil’s face, her face contorted slightly in aggression. She was feeling rather feisty after her whole moment.

Phil gently pats the bear’s head and asks Mackenzie, confusion on his face, “But it’s a bear….”

Kenzie’s face stayed neutral and she replied, “Fwoggy.” Then she took it back and tucked it between her chest and Melinda’s and put her head down on “Gramma’s” shoulder.

The older man nodded and looked at his long-time friend/co-worker/something-more. He smirked slightly and asked, “I thought you weren’t good with kids?”

Melinda rolled her eyes at him and walked in the direction of the dining room, “I’m not. Kenzie just happens to like me.” Which was totally a lie.

Lance sighed in relief when he saw them, “You’re alive!” He said looking directly at Kenzie and walking over, kissing the little girl’s head.

Kenzie’s eyebrows furrowed at Lance and she pushed his face away, “No!”

“Oi. A half hour away ‘nd ya turn my kid against me?” he frowned at the brunette holding Kenzie.

Smirking, the Asian woman replied, “I simply helped her see the light, Lance. She’s hungry, where’s her food?”

“Bob’s got it. Skye’s outside playin’ with Ben and Ellie,” Lance said and pointed out the glass doors.

Melinda turned and looked outside to find Ben, Ellie and Skye in the middle of a water fight. Skye was making the water splash on the children with her powers. Melinda noticed her tai-chi stances in order to be gentle and have optimal control to make sure she didn’t hurt the toddlers. Pride swelled in her chest as she watched the girl who had slowly become like her daughter. Lance then ran into her line of view outside to play with the children and Melinda sat down to feed Kenzie.

Bobbi came over to sit beside Melinda and Kenzie, Phil followed Lance outside for the water fight. She was beginning to feed Kenzie after making her take her medicine and Bobbi sighed, looking at Melinda, “Thank you,” she whispered.

Melinda simply nodded. One arm was wrapped around Kenzie who sat in her lap still, while she ate a salad and pasta with her other hand. She understood the pressure Bobbi was probably under. Well, maybe not completely understood, she knew what it was like to lose a child though, and be afraid to get pregnant again. She didn’t know much about adoption, but she could tell Bobbi was overwhelmed, completely, and _that_ she understood _so well_.

“It’s what we’re here for, anytime you need us, Bobbi. You call, I mean it,” she said seriously to the blonde.

Bobbi nodded slowly as a sign of thank you as she continued to feed Kenzie. Kenzie seemed perfectly happy with the attention of both women. She leaned back, relaxing against Melinda’s chest and continued eating. Eventually she fell asleep, halfway through her food and Bobbi sighed. Melinda looked at her and said, “Why don’t you go outside and have fun, play with them. I’ll stay in here with Mackenzie and clean up?”

This surprised Bobbi. She’d known Melinda for years, sure, but she wasn’t exactly expecting her to come over to her house and be completely domestic. The tone Melinda had, though, told her she wasn’t _asking_ , she was telling her to go outside and play while she stayed inside and cleaned up. Bobbi found herself nodding, “Uh, okay, yeah. Sure. Call if anything.”

Melinda waved her off as she held the sleeping Kenzie while she was still eating. Bobbi walked outside slowly, and tried her best to relax. There was a lot going on, and maybe asking for help wasn’t such a bad thing? She was yanked out of that thought process when cold water splashed on her suddenly. She looked up to see her husband and a bucket of water. Her eyes blazed. “You are so dead, Lance Hunter…”

“Shite!” Lance screamed and bolted.

 

 


	10. Their Misadventures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's just something about having three new little lives invade your own...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, I want to thank all of you guys soooo much for your continued support and attention. I absolutely appreciate it!
> 
> Second, I do apologize that, even though it took me less time than before to update, it still took me several weeks. Hopefully soon we'll be able to cut that time down even more. 
> 
> Third: Em-bug, thank you so much for all your wonderful ideas in this chapter, you're amazing! And Jazzy, thank you for proofing parts of this and assuring me that everything sounded alright!
> 
> Fourth: Enjoy, my loves!

An entire month had come and gone, and the children were still with Bobbi and Lance and everyone was still alive. Well, mostly. Bobbi was a bit shocked that they'd made it this far pretty smoothly. It wasn't as if she doubted the children or the situation or her husband's ability, not at all. It was her own ability that she doubted most of all. But so far, so good. Marsha had dropped by for two unannounced visits, and saw it fit still that the children stayed under the care of Bobbi and Lance. Bobbi was relieved, considering she honestly couldn't let go of the three little ones in their lives now. She heavily doubted Lance could either. By month two, Bobbi and Lance were quietly having conversation about solidifying the arrangement through adoption. A long conversation with Marsha and her promise to get back to them as soon as possible with more information on the process, left the couple excited about what was to come. For the meantime, they would pay attention to their little terrorists.

Bobbi had returned to work, though not taking any cases that would keep her away from home for longer than normal work hours. Lance was the one who stayed home with the children. They had enough financial stability for that. In truth, the two had enough financial stability to never work again and still live rather comfortably. The fact of the matter was that they're previous lifestyle generally paid them pretty darn good, but they never had any actual  _time_  to spend said money. So naturally, it was all put away into bank accounts and often times forgotten while it gathered interest and grew. Not to mention Lance's and Bobbi's stock investments. So, they didn't really  _need_  to work. But, it kept the two sane. Well, it kept Bobbi sane since Lance was still home with the kids.

By now, the two had  _really_  gotten to know their new occupants. In the last ten weeks they'd learned just how mischievous toddlers really could be, even the shy ones who generally hid under tables. They'd learned their habits, their likes, dislikes, and who was most likely to commit which crime.

_One particular morning, Bobbi came downstairs to find a candy jar, which she'd filled with kid-friendly candies for the children when they were well-behaved, all over the counters and some pieces on the floor as well. At that moment she was thankful that they didn't have dog or it'd be dead by then. The jar had candies, gum and chocolate, it was a nice mix. She could hear lance playing with the kids downstairs. Bobbi cleaned up the mess and went in search for the culprit._

_Downstairs, Bobbi found Lance dressed as a pirate, along with Ben, and Kenzie as dressed as a princess. She counted heads and noticed one was missing. Where was Ellie? Ellie loved dress-up and was usually the one to suggest it. However, the blonde saw that the little social-butterfly was nowhere to be found. She frowned and looked around the playroom quietly. She found Ellie sitting in a carpeted far-off corner of the playroom. She raised a brow and walked over to the little girl. Ellie fought the urge to look at her. Bobbi saw guilt written all over the little girl's face. She'd found her little law-breaker. It was then that she noticed the little girl was clutching something tightly in her hand. Bobbi had to take the situation seriously… Ellie could've gotten hurt and truly, she didn't want the kid to end up with a million cavities from too much candy._

" _Hey, Ellie. Why aren't you playing with the others?" Bobbi squatted before the little girl._

_Ellie shook her head, little strands of blonde hair falling into her face. Ellie brought a hand up to take her hair out of her face as she replied, "Dun' wanna."_

" _Hmm, I see… Any reason why?" Bobbi asked._

" _My tummy feel funny… Wike… It feel silly," she tried to describe._

_Bobbi thought about it for a moment. Ellie was probably feeling nervous because she knew she'd done something wrong. Bobbi would play one that, "I see…. Ellie, what's in your hand?"_

_Ellie looked down at her closed hand and then looked up at Bobbi, replying confidently, "Not something."_

" _Ellie… I said, what's in your hand?" Bobbi asked again, trying to look firm._

" _Not bubble gum?" The three year old responded, looking just a bit less confident than before._

_Bobbi had to bite her lip hard in order to keep from laughing. She couldn't say anything really, so she held her hand out to the little girl and motioned for her to hand it over. Ellie did, looking slightly ashamed and Bobbi shook her head, "No candy for two days for you," she told her. That would be her punishment._

_And then Bobbi turned and walked back upstairs quickly where she proceeded to burst out laughing. This would make a great story when Ellie was older._

They'd learned that the children had taken to calling them "Mummy, Mama and Daddy". In their opinion, that'd happened quickly, but apparently Ellie and Ben felt comfortable enough to call them by this title. Kenzie didn't really say much in which she had to call them by any title, so the ex-spies weren't sure if the youngest was calling them that too; she probably was because her siblings were. Really, the children had started calling Bobbi,  _mommy_  one morning. But then by the time she got home from work that afternoon at around 3, it'd been turned into "Mummy" with British accents. She had looked at Lance accusingly and he'd returned to her a cheeky smile. It was that evening, as she and Lance were untangling Ellie's and Kenzie's hair, respectively, in front of the telly that Bobbi realised that  _somehow_  their cable got CBeebies, a BBC children's network. Bobbi simply sighed as she watched the children enjoy  _Charlie and Lola._  According to Lance, it was their favourite show. "The children are cultured enough to know what's real English," he'd said to her. Bobbi had simply rolled her eyes at him.

Anyway, now the children flip-flopped between  _mum/mummy_  and  _mom/mommy_. That was somewhat the biggest debate going on in the house. Well, it was until Bobbi and Lance learned their biggest lesson yet.

Bobbi and Lance at one point reached a decision. That the children should go to some form of toddler school, even if for only the morning. So, they'd set out to find a toddler school for Ellie and Ben. They'd spoken about it and decided that Kenzie wasn't ready for day school just yet and they didn't want to push her too much yet. So they made a plan. Lance would drop off Ellie and Ben at the American Day School on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 8am – 1pm, and during that time, he and Kenzie would attend Gymboree classes in order to help Kenzie with her motor skills and other developmental needs she had. He would attend classes with her and it would be fun!

Lance had also pushed, and Bobbi begrudgingly agreed, to put the kids in sports. Naturally, that meant football. When Lance said this, just to tease, Bobbi came home one night with three, tiny, American football, helmets. Lance didn't talk to her for the rest the night, but the kids had fun walking around with the helmets on and pretending they were astronauts. Nonetheless, the children attended soccer  _football_  practice on Mondays and Fridays, and had an absolute blast running around, even if they weren't necessarily kicking the ball. Kenzie was also slowly getting past her fear of grass, so there was progress on that front as well.

* * *

 

Bobbi and Lance had most importantly learned when they were being played. Bobbi especially. She refused to be beaten by a toddler. Sort of… There was a certain situation, one Saturday afternoon, where Bobbi and Lance chose to take the children out to the mall. Well, on this day, they'd both been bested by two toddlers. Walking into Kmart with the children, Lance and Bobbi looked at the three children and noted almost instantly that they were about to run off. Bobbi and Lance managed to stop them though. They'd tugged slightly on the backpacks around the children and pulled them back

Lance got down to their level along with Bobbi and he said firmly to them, "No runnin' off, alright? Ya stay by Mummy 'nd I while we get some things for the house…"

"And if you can do that, we'll get you guys anything you want from the toy section, okay?"

The triplets looked at each other. Kenzie had understood that, and she was the first to agree to this. She smiled and nodded, "Kay." She held her arms out to Lance so he'd pick her up. She knew if she was in his arms, she wouldn't run off.

Ellie and Ben agreed after deliberating it for a moment and nodded, "Kay mummy," Ellie said.

"Mo-" Bobbi began trying to correct the little girl but gave up before the words even left her mouth. Lance had a smirk on his face that Bobbi just wanted to smack off. They both looked to Ben and the little boy bobbed his head slowly before asking to make sure, "Anythin'?"

"Anythin', mate."

They should've known they would regret those words. After they'd grabbed what they needed for the house; more towels, plastics, sheets for the beds, nightlights and the like, Bobbi was dragged off by Kenzie and Ellie to get their toys which they'd spotted, abandoning Ben and Lance. Bobbi allowed the pint-sized girls to drag her off, her heart swelling with pride. These little girls were hers. They  _had been_  hers for the last two months. It truly astounded her just how much she loved them. She didn't think she could ever love someone, or several "someones" with more love than what she had for her own husband! It was something she and Lance had talked about a few times over the time the children had been with them. She'd expressed to him that should anything happen with them again – Lance would then call her pessimistic – that she would choose the kids over him any day. Lance would then promise that he wouldn't have it any other day. It calmed her and soothed her to know that Lance felt the same way. It showed her that this was how parental love was meant to look. That had their baby girl survived, she would've felt the same way.

Kenzie brought her to a stop in the storage aisle of Kmart. It was filled with different plastic baskets and bins of various different sizes and the like. She picked up a flat-ish, long, purple one and dragged it to where Bobbi had been standing at the end of the aisle, watching Kenzie. Ellie stood beside her, dancing about.

Kenzie held it in front of her body, the bin practically being as big as she is and she said up to Bobbi, "This, mama. Want this."

Bobbi's heart skipped a beat. She'd called her "mama"… That was the first time she'd ever done that, and seeing as Kenzie clearly preferred Lance most of the time, that made her super proud. She then paid attention to what Kenzie had actually requested. She gave Kenzie a soft, almost pitying, half-smile, as she got down to Kenzie's level and pointed to the storage bin, "This isn't a toy, honey. They have lots of toys here, c'mon. Let's go find you one."

"No, want this," Kenzie said. She knew what she wanted.

Bobbi raised a brow, "are you sure?"

Kenzie nodded quickly, a wide grin gracing her tiny lips, "Yes. This, mama." She said very clearly.

And how could Bobbi say no to that? Kenzie's speech had come a pretty long way. And it was clear that this was what she wanted. She shrugged and nodded, "Alright then." She picked up the bin for Kenzie and offered to take the little girl's hand. Kenzie happily took it and followed Bobbi out of the aisle, Ellie following close beside them skipping along.

"My turn?" Ellie asked Bobbi. They'd been learning about taking turns and sharing in school that week. She and Ben had picked up on it very quickly, Bobbi had learned. It helped keep tantrums at bay usually when someone had a toy that the other one wanted; although, if it was Kenzie who wanted something, Ben and Ellie tended to always give in. It was an interesting relationship between the three that Bobbi and Lance didn't really understand, but they could watch the children together for hours and not get bored.

Bobbi nodded to the little blonde girl and took her hand as well with the three fingers she'd left. In her left arm was the storage bin that Kenzie wanted and in her right hand, Kenzie was holding two of her fingers and Ellie the other three. She smiled at the sales associate who cooed at the girls as they walked by, and watched as the girls pretended to be bashful. She laughed quietly and led the girls by some play tents in the outdoor area as she went toward the toy area. But Ellie gasped, let go of Bobbi's hand and ran off when she saw exactly what she wanted. "Mama! Can I has this as my toy?" She was dragging a giant box toward Bobbi, who had followed Ellie in the direction she had run off. Along the way, she'd stolen an empty cart that had been abandoned somewhere and put Kenzie and her bin into the buggy.

Looking down at the  _very large_  box, the blonde mother frowned, "It's a little big, Ellie. When I said you could have a toy, I meant a small one…" She told the three year old.

Ellie pouted up at Bobbi, her big eyes opening wider, "Bu' mama, you said…"

"This is huge, Ellie. Where are we going to up a castle in the house?" Bobbi tried to rationalise.

Ellie saw right through it though. She put her thinking face on in which her lips pursed out, her eyebrows furrowed and her nose wrinkled, "Mm.. In da.. Living room. In da kitch'n. In da back-outside… In da playroom… In da…"

Bobbi sighed and cut her off, the girl had a point, "Okay. I get it."

"It a pwetty castle, Mama," Ellie laid it down on the floor and hugged the box tightly as she looked up at Bobbi.

Bobbi groaned, "Why do you have to be so adorable?" She never knew this could be her weakness. She was glad they no longer worked for SHIELD, or HYDRA would totally use her kids against her. The thought made her shudder.

"Puh-lease, mama? I love you," Ellie fluttered her long eyelashes at Bobbi and pouted again.

The blonde mother huffed a few times and blew a strand of hair out of her face in frustration. She sighed and shook her head, "Fine…" Kenzie was giggling in the cart as she watched Bobbi puff and huff at her hair. "Okay, okay. We'll take it. Just don't tell your daddy you played me."

Ellie was already walking the box to the cart. She looked at Bobbi confused, "Wha' d'ya mean, Mama?"

Bobbi nodded at her, "Exactly." She put Ellie into the cart as well and made sure the box was secure in the bottom level and pushed the girls away.

Meanwhile, Lance and Ben, along with a cart full of things that Bobbi and Lance had originally gone to the store to get, actually made their way into the toy section. Ben was chattering away at Lance about a story they had read in school about a pig and an elephant who wanted to fly. Ben was currently giggling about the fact that elephants couldn't fly. Lance had to laugh as well as Ben's expression on the matter, because it was pretty damn adorable. When Ben saw all the toys though, he gasped and ran in the direction of them. He looked closely at all the toys, deliberating on what he wanted. Lance could practically see the wheels turning in the little boys head, it was quite entertaining, really.

Ben finally made a choice though. Lance was looking at the newest Legos and picked up two boxes of the pre-school targeted models. It'd be good to do those with Kenzie while the others were in school. He also added a few puzzles into the cart. Ben came over to him, hugging two rather large boxes to his chest because they wouldn't fit in his small arms otherwise. Taking them, Lance took a look at the two things. He honestly didn't know why some of these things had more packaging and security around them than Fort Knox! Lance truly looked at what he held. In one hand, he had a toy laptop, that turned on and did a various number of things, and in the other hand he held a box with a toy iPhone in it.

Lance looked at the little boy. Wide blue eyes and a pout stared up at him, "Daddy, I need this 'nd this," he said, pointing to the two boxes.

Lance already knew he had been defeated when those blue eyes stared up at him. He shook his head, "Sorry little mate. Only one toy."

"Bu' I need two. Bof."

The ex-mercenary shook his head again, "No. Pick one, please."

Ben sighed dramatically, "Bu' daddy, I  _ **need**_  bof. Need wike I gotta go potty."

Lance bit his lip to try to keep from laughing. The child was good at similes, he would give him that. And he knew the meaning of the word  _need_. That was something that needed to be rewarded, right? Lance sighed, his shoulders sagging, "Fine. But don't tell your mother."

Ben grinned instantly and hugged Lance's leg tightly, "Thank  _you_ , daddy."

And with that, the two walked off to find the girls. They met up at the tills, the triplets reuniting on the queue and instantly beginning to chatter away about something Lance and Bobbi didn't really understand. Kenzie was hugging Ben tightly, but he didn't seem to mind at all as his little arms flailed about as he tried to talk over Ellie. Bobbi eyed what Lance had picked up for Ben. She knew it wasn't puzzles or Legos, those had Lance written all over them. Well, maybe not the puzzles, but she had told him she wanted him to get some for the kids. It was the computer and phone. Her eyebrows furrowed and she looked at Lance, "You let Ben get two things? Lance, that wasn't the agreement!"

Lance looked at the two things in the cart, "You let one of them get a bloody castle, Bob! And judgin' by the colour 'nd size, I'd say it's Ellie!"

Bobbi sighed. He had a point. "Next time, we need to outline the parameters of the bribe a lot more clearly."

Lance made a face and nodded, "Agreed." He looked at the other thing in the cart, "A bin? Is that what Kenzie wants?"

Bobbi nodded. "Yep."

"I feel like she might be gettin' a bit screwed, no?"

His wife shrugged, "It's what she wanted. She really wanted it. She said so very clearly, "This, Mama. Want this." How could I say no if she had said so so clearly?"

He nodded as he watched the three kids talk and play happily beside them on the floor. "I guess you're right. As long as they're happy." He wrapped his arm around his wife and pressed a kiss to her temple. "I love you…"

Bobbi felt a soft smile grace her lips and she looked over at him out of the corner of her eye, "I love you too…" she then leaned in and whispered, "Are you trying to butter me up for a "shag", Lance Hunter?"

Lance grinned devilishly for a moment and he looked at his watch, "It'll be naptime by the time we get home."

She rolled her eyes at him and laughed.

They had definitely learned their lesson though.

Later that afternoon, just before dinner, after Bobbi and Lance had their fun while the children napped, they watched as the kids played. They'd set up the big, pink castle down in the playroom because it seemed like a good place for it to go. Kenzie had turned the bin into a bed for her Froggy and two other dolls, having placed a blanket in it with Ben's help and then tucked in her three "babies" into it comfortably. Ellie set up a bunch of their toy kitchen things inside of her castle as she wore the princess costume they had for the kids and eventually, she dragged Kenzie and her box into the castle as well.

Ben had settled himself at the entrance of the castle. He had in his lap his laptop and he was typing furiously as he'd seen Lance do oftentimes when he was working. But then he picked up his phone and began talking into it loudly in absolute gibberish. His eyebrows furrowing as he, apparently, got upset with whoever was on the other line and he continued talking to them loudly in gibberish. The girls were playing inside of the castle, and he was keeping them safe.

Lance watched from where he was sitting on the couch with Bobbi, munching on some popcorn. "Oi, Benny. Who are ya talking to?"

Ben looked up at Lance, his eyebrows still furrowed, his face still serious, "I not Benny. I'm Grampa Phil Co'son."

Bobbi couldn't believe that Ben had just said that. Neither could Lance, and the two just burst out laughing hysterically at that. Phil was going to love this. Ben went back to being Phil as Bobbi took out her phone to record the moment. She'd send it to Skye, Melinda and Phil later. They were going to love it.

* * *

 

That Sunday was spent lounging around the house with the triplets until it came time to take them to soccer practice. Bobbi had been called into work suddenly on an emergency, leaving Lance to take the children on his own. He had no problem with that, he spent the whole week with the children anyway. He put on their harnesses and loaded them into the Jeep. The whole ride there was Ellie somewhat singing along to the songs coming on through the radio while mimicking the emotions she thought fit the song overdramatically. Lance smirked as he watched this through the rear view mirror. Ben was nibbling on his Cheerios and Kenzie was teetering between the world of the conscious and unconscious.

By the time they got to the field which was about fifteen minutes away from the house, Kenzie was completely out, Ben had run out of Cheerios and Ellie was practically bouncing out of her tiny football cleats. Lance made sure they all had their leads on and he took hold of them through there as his other hand carried his ThinkGeek Tactical Diaper bag with the patch DAD on the front of it and the rest of their soccer equipment. Once they walked out of the parking lot and to the field, Ben and Ellie quickly tried to get their kneepads and elbow pads on.

Lance calmed them down as he walked over to the bleachers. He made sure they had sweaters on, though it wasn't all that cold out, Bobbi would kill him if they got sick, and helped put on their knee and elbow pads. Removing their harnesses, Ellie and Ben bolted off. Kenzie looked up at Lance with sad eyes. Lance was technically supposed to leave the children there at soccer practice with their coach and the other children, but he'd seen a lot in his 30 years, and he wasn't about to leave his children with some man he hadn't done a background check on. Besides, it'd make Kenzie very uneasy. He picked the little girl up and hugged her gently, "It's time for football, darlin'," he said as he removed her harness, put on her kneepads and elbow pads.

Kenzie sighed, "Kay…." She stared at the grass as it seemed so daunting to her.

Lance smiled a bit, kissing her temple, "Don't worry, Daddy will be right here."

Kenzie looked up at him and beamed. She didn't like their coach. He was mean to her and made her feel really sad. But, Daddy was going to stay today, and she could see a few other mommies around too, so she knew she'd be safe to run around of Daddy was there. She looked out to where her brother and sister were running around. She'd go and join them soon.

That night, Bobbi got home at half past nine, and she was absolutely exhausted. Sundays and Saturdays were usually her days off, but when it seemed like the world was imploding at work, she was called in on emergencies. On her way home, she'd gotten a call from a friend, who had children as well and were in the same soccer team as the triplets. Needless to say, Bobbi was surprised, but at the same time, she wasn't.

She walked into the house, closing the door behind her. She knew the kids were asleep, so she peeked into the living room where Lance was sitting on the floor, doing some work. She stepped into their living room after toeing off her heels and dropping her bag and stuff by the door. The blonde crossed her arms and leaned against the living room entrance threshold. She said simply to her husband, "You  _punched_  our kids' soccer coach."

Lance didn't look up from his work, "Hello to you too, darling…. And it's football, love."

"Not the point, Lance! You  _punched him_!" Bobbi huffed, not moving from her spot.

"He made Kenzie cry and feel bad. He's lucky I didn't want to traumatise the children and didn't beat the living shit out of him," Lance defended, finally looking up from his laptop and at his wife. "Nobody picks on my children, Bob."

Her heart melted. She knew that would be his reason behind it. Lance had a big heart, a very big heart, and when he loved someone, he loved them wholeheartedly and loyally – usually. And it was that with their children as well. Bobbi walked over to where he was sitting on the floor and bent down, kissing him softly, "I love you."

Lance grinned into the kiss. He wasn't in trouble anymore, and he'd been rewarded with a kiss from his gorgeous wife, this was awesome. "I love you too, my little hellbeast."

And just like that, the moment was over, Bobbi stood again and headed for the kitchen to get her dinner, "Now get on the internet, we need to find a new soccer club for them to join"

"Football." Lance argued easily, getting up off the floor and following Bobbi.

Bobbi rolled her eyes, "Again, not the point"

"Doesn't matter anyway, love. I was voted as the new football coach by all the other mums. And I, being the noble and humble man that I am, I had to accept," he shot at her his winning Lance Hunter grin.

Bobbi rolled her eyes at him, "No. Absolutely not."

"Yeeeees, the kids love the idea too! And besides, no one else knows the offside rule! It has to be me," Lance pointed out.

Bobbi looked at him like he was insane, because, in all honesty, he  _was_. "They're  _ **three**_ , Lance!"

"And the quicker they learn the offside rule the better. You gotta start early love. If they want a future as ballerina and ballerino footie players…" he said seriously.

Bobbi was almost afraid to ask, but she did, she should've known better, "What the hell's a ballerino?"

"The boy version of a ballerina, duh," Lance replied.

Her husband had acted a bit like a toddler before they got the triplets. Now even more so. And at that reply, Bobbi turned around and walked out of the kitchen with her plate of food, the conversation had taken a ridiculous turn and she was just done.

The following morning, as Monday mornings usually went, Bobbi sat at the table with Kenzie and Ellie at either side of her, feeding the youngest while having her own coffee. Kenzie was fussing on eating. Bobbi finally got her to start eating when she pretended the spoonful of oatmeal was an airplane. Truly, Bobbi wasn't expecting that reverting to the ancient tricks of feeding toddlers would work.

The phone rang, and Lance answered it. He put it on speaker, "Alright, Marsha, we could all hear you."

"Great. Good morning, Bobbi," Marsha's voice rang out through the kitchen. Bobbi returned the greeting before Marsha continued, "I just wanted to let you guys know that I've just put the papers through for adoption. When I was over last week, I know I told you guys it'd take a bit longer, but everything checked out, so I put the paperwork through, now we just wait for it to be processed and you'll have your day in court."

Bobbi and Lance grinned widely and they both asked at the same time, "And how long will that take?"

Marsha laughed, "Several weeks, depends on a few factors that are pretty out of your hands. But I'll contact you guys when I have more on the matter, and in the meantime, we'll continue with the scheduled and surprise visits as well."

Bobbi nodded, "Sounds good, Marsha, thank you so much."

"Not a problem. I'll talk to you guys soon," she said and then hung up.

Lance looked at his wife and leaned over the table, kissing her softly, their small girls giggled. Lance whispered against Bobbi's lips after she'd returned the kiss, "We're gettin' our family after all, love."

"Looks like it," Bobbi agreed, beaming even more.


	11. Her Fox named Kitty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, it's taken me quite some time to update this fic, and I am so incredibly sorry for those of you who have been waiting! My muse has been seriously waning in all things - BUT HEY, I HAVE A CHAPTER FOR YOU GUYS! Enjoy!

The beautiful thing about Lance’s new occupation at home with the children was that he was putting to practice everything he was reading about in terms of how to help their little munchkin. So, while Ellie and Ben were at nursery learning about their colours, shapes, size differences and the like, Lance would take Kenzie to the children’s gym, and to different playgroups to help improve her motor skills and her cognitive development. Bobbi would get full stories in the evening while she and Lance were in bed in which he would tell her all about how the classes were going and how Kenzie was progressing. She loved hearing the stories, or receiving pictures and videos from Lance about something new their little bug had learned. It absolutely made her day.

It was Friday morning, and Bobbi had run out to do some errands early on, having taken the day from work in order to do them, and returned home at around noon. Their living room, a place where most of the mischief was taking place lately, had been turned into likens of a children’s obstacle course. There were small orange cones lined up, with space between them, alongside the far wall of the living room. After that, came a trampoline that Bobbi didn’t even know they had to begin with – she was going to kill him if he bought that thing newly – then there was a long stick of wood that was maybe about an inch or two off the ground, a slide went after the makeshift balance beam, and finally came the end, a flexible tube tunnel that was coloured and decorated as a caterpillar. This was the obstacle course that Bobbi found and she had to admit, that it was adorable.

Kenzie was just coming off the trampoline and was walking over to the makeshift balance beam where Lance was, along with Ben and Ellie, who were dressed in party hats, noise makers and were cheering their little sister on. Bobbi took a step forward protectively when she saw Kenzie stumble slightly as she got on the beam. Lance caught his wife’s eye though and he smiled at her before holding out his hand to stop her. He nodded. She had this, Kenzie could do it. Bobbi stayed on guard though. The three-year-old fidgeted a bit before Lance coaxed her forward. Her tiny feet slowly walked one after the other on the wooden piece, her arms out for balance like she had learned in her gym class with daddy. The noise makers went off loudly and Ellie and Ben bounced as well when Kenzie completed that task after only falling twice. There was so much determination and concentration on the toddler’s face, it amazed Bobbi.

She did the last two pieces of the obstacle course, the slide and tube tunnel without much fuss and then, she crossed what looked like the finish line. Lance, Ben and Ellie began cheering loudly and Bobbi laughed, clapping along, grinning widely. They were definitely some feats for the little girl! Kenzie looked at her family and she grinned widely and bounced about, clapping her small hands. She’d done it! Ellie hugged her little sister, and Ben too, and the three children giggled. Mainly, it was Lance’s infectious cheering that made them cheer, more than the actual situation itself, but it made Kenzie feel nice.

“Oh! Wait, guys, look over here,” Lance remembered a couple of minutes into the cheer fest.

The three looked up at him with wide eyes. He turned and grabbed something off the top shelf of the living room entertainment system and from where she stood, Bobbi noticed that they were _homemade_ , construction paper and string medals for the kids. Oh, her husband was seriously the biggest dork ever. Lance put one around Ellie and Ben’s necks, “For best cheerers. Those professional cheerleaders on the telly have got nothin’ on you two.”

Ben and Ellie gasped and looked down at what was placed around their necks. And then Lance put one around Kenzie, “For bein’ brave and doing so great in the obstacle course, love,” he smiled at her.

“We have three pretty awesome kids, huh?” Bobbi spoke and the kids noticed she was there.

She and Lance grinned and Ellie bolted to her, “Mama, look. I gotsa Mendel…”

“I think you mean _medal_ , sweetheart, but Oh my! That looks great! I think I saw daddy making that yesterday,” she said as Ben ran over to show her his own as well.

Lance picked up Kenzie and walked over to his wife, kissing her quickly when he got to her. Bobbi returned the kiss and tickled Kenzie gently, “Great job, bug!”

“You see me?” Kenzie asked her surprised and almost a bit shyly.

Bobbi nodded and grinned, “I wouldn’t have missed it for the world!” Although she nearly had, no thanks to Lance, but she’d complain to him about that later.

“Alright, I’m going to go make lunch. You’ve got them?” Bobbi asked Lance.

Her husband nodded and kissed her lips again, he was trying to butter her up for what’d happened. “Yep, go ahead, sweetheart.”

Bobbi stretched a bit and walked into the kitchen to make fish sticks and broccoli for lunch. She and Lance had awakened that morning to find the triplets squeezed in their bed between the two. Ellie’s little head was buried in Bobbi’s stomach and Ben was lying horizontally, pushing Lance to the edge of their king-sized bed. The two vowed that morning that the children would never sleep with them again, especially considering how sore her neck and back was feeling now.

As Bobbi placed the cookie-sheet with the fish sticks into the oven, Kenzie walked in with her baby doll, rocking it as the toddler went. The three-year-old paused and looked up at Bobbi, her not-yet-Mama for the last three or so months, and she showed her the baby, “Mama? Baby.”

Bobbi bent down and gently stroked the plastic doll’s painted-on brown hair, “She’s beautiful. What’s her name?”

“Baby,” Kenzie replied easily as she hesitantly held the baby out to Bobbi.

Bobbi took the doll and pretended to rock it, “Yeah? But what’s her _name_? My name is Bobbi. Your name is Kenzie. And there’s Ellie, Ben…Lance… What’s the _baby’s_ name?” she prompted.

As Kenzie thought about the question, Bobbi let her process as she handed the baby back and moved to flip the fish sticks in the oven. In a distance they heard the loud sound of blocks falling down in the playroom and crashing, then the sound of Lance and Ben cheering while Ellie cried out dramatically. Bobbi wasn’t concerned. She knew dramatic play was something they did often. Throwing some veggies into the steam pot, Bobbi heard Kenzie speak suddenly, having processed what Bobbi had said. She shrugged as she spoke, “Hmm… I no know wha’name?”

The fact that Kenzie had been able to articulate those words, despite her developmental delays in cognitive and adaptive skills, Bobbi realised then that she and Lance were doing something right with her. Kenzie _was_ progressing; this made Bobbi believe even more firmly they were what the children needed. Smiling softly, Bobbi replied, “How about I give you some ideas, hmm?”

Kenzie cocked her head to the side in a sign of confusion; Bobbi bit back a chuckle at the fact that she looked so much like a _puppy_ in that moment. Thinking, Bobbi figured she’d give the child ideas of names of people she knew, “How about… Skye? Like your Auntie Skye, who came to visit a little while back…. Or Melinda/Mel/Mellie, like your Grandma Melinda?”

Kenzie didn’t let her finish after that as she spoke firmly, “Mel. Baby name Mel.”

Bobbi grinned, “Mel it is, now…” she removed her phone from her back pocket and asked, “Smile, sweetheart, I want to take a picture.”

The blonde child looked up at Bobbi was a curious glint in her light eyes as she held her doll close. Snapping the picture quickly, Bobbi watched Kenzie run off soon after and hide under the kitchen table with her doll.

After lunch had been had, the triplets sprawled out all on the living room with pillows and blankets all over the living room floor to watch Finding Nemo. Not long afterwards, they fell asleep, leaving Bobbi and Lance to lounge on the couch and watch over them. Reaching out for the remote, Bobbi stopped the movie and looked up at her husband as her head laid on his chest. Lance was sitting normally on the couch, although his feet were on the coffee table – she’d let that go this time, – and she had her head and shoulders on his chest while the rest of her laid horizontally on the couch.

Lance reached down and pressed a kiss to Bobbi’s nose.

Bobbi rolled her eyes at this action, but the smile still spread across her lips. They were both thinking the same exact thing. How lucky they were. Both were acutely aware of how close they’d come to losing their lives on several occasions during their previous occupations. Had that happened, who would’ve been looking after _their_ kids now? Would they have been happy? Would they have been _cared_ for?

“We’re lucky,” Bobbi whispered.

Lance nodded as he wrapped his arm around her midsection lazily, “We really are.”

* * *

 

The children were excited. The following morning, after pancakes and orange juice were had in front of Saturday morning cartoons, the three were going to their very first playdate with another child from their soccer team. The plan was to have the playdate and in the meantime, the parents would talk and have lunch. However, it was as Lance and Bobbi were fluttering around the living room and kitchen to get things ready to go, that Kenzie tensed up while playing with Ben, and she fell onto her diapered bottom, and began seizing. Ellie let out a loud screech for Lance and Bobbi. Lance dropped the bags of the triplets’ things that he was about to put into the car, while Bobbi ran in from the kitchen where she was preparing snacks for the kids.

“Bobs!” Lance called to his wife as he reached Kenzie and laid her down on the floor, making sure she was safe.

Bobbi came over and bent down beside Lance, “I have her, go and calm down Ben and Ellie,” she nodded over to the two crying toddlers.

Lance nodded, standing quickly and picking up Ben and Ellie. He did much to comfort them as best as he knew. Watching Bobbi with Kenzie as he did, he watched as his wife calmly timed the seizure, checking to make sure their toddler was still breathing and that she didn’t hurt herself. Once more, it had been the longest two and a half minutes of both their lives. This was only the second time they had experienced a seizure first-hand, and while they were calmer than before, Lance was still somewhat shaken. Bobbi hid it well though.

Kenzie’s small eyes fluttered open and she stared up at Bobbi hazily before closing her eyes again. Biting her bottom lip a few times, she opened her eyes again and mumbled to the blonde, “Up…” Usually she would lift her tiny arms to get her point across, however she was just too tired after the fit she’d just had; she still wanted the comfort though.

Smiling sadly, Bobbi lifted the little girl slowly. She noted how floppy her limbs were and gently rested Kenzie against her shoulder and chest. How could she deny her precious, little kitten this? Rubbing her back, Bobbi asked her, “How’s that, sweetie?”

“Good…” Kenzie mumbled and closed her eyes as her tiny hands clutched onto Bobbi’s shirt tightly.

Bobbi swayed a bit with her as she stood and she looked at Lance. Lance had managed to calm Ben and Ellie after a lot of coaxing and holding them as well. He sighed and rubbed his face, mumbling, “Bollocks, Bobs…”

Bobbi nodded as she rubbed Kenzie’s back, and replied to Lance, “I think you should take Ellie and Ben to the playdate. Kenzie and I are going to stay home and rest a bit. I think she needs some downtime after that.”

Lance thought about it and agreed, “And you’ll call her doctor?”

Once Bobbi had promised to do so, she went into the kitchen with Kenzie. With one hand, she managed to finish packing the snacks and lunch for Ben and Ellie. She found herself singing to Kenzie at some point in a low voice. She’d had the soundtrack from The Sound of Music stuck in her head for days now, and Bobbi wasn’t entirely sure why. The former spy figured there were worse songs to have stuck in your head than ‘Sixteen Going on Seventeen’; there were definitely more _inappropriate_ things she could be singing to her toddler too. Kenzie snoozed happily against Bobbi, only waking completely once Lance had rounded up her older siblings and all their things and ushered them out the door.

 

About half an hour later, after managing to get Kenzie to eat half a piece of toast and some apple juice, Bobbi found herself being conned by the three-year-old into going to the playroom. Bobbi would have much rather have Kenzie rest with her, but Kenzie was adamant, and Bobbi figured she’d fall asleep when she was ready to. Plopping down on a small couch, she watched the little girl make her way over to the small play kitchen, after picking up a small Waterbabies doll and holding it close. She rocked it as she stood in front of the toy stove, talking to it quietly.

Bobbi realised in that moment what an impact she and Lance must be having on the children. As she watched, Kenzie spoke to the doll a lot like Lance spoke to them, silly and with many facial expressions, but also in a gentle manner – although everything Kenzie was saying was gibberish, she was copying their tone. It hit Bobbi in that moment. They were parents. She and Lance were the parents of these three, tiny humans who had stolen their hearts. In that same thought, though, she was hit with another. _Isabella_. Their little girl would have been like this. Their little girl would have been playing in this toy kitchen, imitating her mummy and daddy and… Bobbi felt some tears in her eyes.

Quickly, Bobbi wiped her eyes as she watched Kenzie turn around and walk toward her, holding the doll out to Bobbi. Bobbi took the doll and then picked up Kenzie as well and cuddled the two close. Kenzie was quietly just singing in gibberish and talking lowly before she looked directly at Bobbi and asked, “Mama? Baby?” Kenzie then reached out and patted Bobbi’s stomach.

Bobbi was taken aback by her question. It wasn’t that she _doubted_ Kenzie’s intellect, she just never really demonstrated it. Kenzie’s personality wasn’t completely coming through still either. At least, not with Bobbi. She knew Kenzie was in there somewhere, but Lance knew her better. She wondered where Kenzie had learned where babies had come from. Kenzie continued staring at Bobbi, while expecting an answer. The questioning look in the toddler’s eyes as she pressed the cold tip of her nose against Bobbi’s nose. Bobbi gave a shaky smile and said, “No honey, no baby.”

Kenzie sat back, eyebrows furrowed as she processed what Bobbi had responded. It made her sad. She wanted a baby, a tiny one just like her doll… “Kenzie want baby, Mama. Gimme baby?” Kenzie expressed softly. Kenzie had seen babies before. She’d seen them when she was out and about with Lance, and in their Mommy and Me classes, as well as at the Nursery. She thought they were cool, as Lance would say.

Bobbi wanted to give Kenzie the world. She _wanted to give the triplets the world_. But in that moment, Bobbi suddenly noticed that Kenzie was asking for the one thing that Bobbi could not give her. She didn’t know how to tell her that though. Kenzie was three, how much of this did she really understand? Bobbi was very aware of the “but why?” stage every child went through, and she wondered if that was the stage Kenzie was entering. Ellie and Ben were well into it, and Kenzie was due for it soon anyway. Biting down on her lip to keep herself from tearing up, and decided to confide in her three-year-old. “I can’t, Kenz.. I… Mama’s scared…” At this, the tears escaped from Bobbi’s eyes.

Kenzie watched Bobbi curiously. She knew what scared was. Scared was whenever Lance tried to get her to play outside on the green stuff that was on the floor, or every time she had to try and eat any orange or green foods… Scared was when loud noises happened, like cars or music or dogs… Scared was whenever everything would go black suddenly and… Kenzie knew scared; in her young age, Kenzie _understood_ scared better than most people would expect, and scared made her cry too.

Reaching out, Kenzie wiped Bobbi’s eyes clumsily as she replied in a soft tone she was mimicking, the tone Melinda had used with her when she had been over, “Mama no cry or be scared. It okay…” She grabbed Bobbi’s face between her two small hands and placed it against Kenzie’s small chest. Carefully, she began stroking Bobbi’s hair, “No cry, Mama. It okay. Kenzie don’t want baby anymore. No cry now…”

* * *

 

They stayed like that for a while and Bobbi was really attempting to contain herself over Kenzie’s reaction to the entire situation. She was watching them. Kenzie was observing them at times when they thought she was completely oblivious to what was going on around her and in her own world. She was soaking in and processing all this information – albeit, at a slower rate, but she was processing; it cemented even more to Bobbi that they were what Kenzie needed. When Lance returned, Kenzie and Bobbi were back upstairs in the living room. Kenzie was munching on some yummy fruit snacks, (any orange ones she was putting in them into Bobbi’s mouth; Bobbi had told her that chucking them at the floor was unacceptable). Ben and Ellie were still on their playdate, so Lance had some time to spend with just Bobbi and Kenzie. He grinned as he walked over to them on the couch, “How are my girls doin’?”

But he was in front of the T.V. and Kenzie waved him off, “Move,” she mumbled.

Lance pouted, “But Kenz, look! Daddy got you a kitty! Just like you!”

Bobbi bit back a chuckle from where she held Kenzie, the little girl finally looking up at Lance and making grabby hands at it. Bobbi shook her head, “Lance, that’s not a kitty.”

Lance rolled his eyes at his wife as he gave Kenzie her toy and responded, “Course it is! It’s got whiskers and everything.”

Bobbi shook her head again and mumbled “Not a cat.”

Kenzie squeezed the toy tightly and snuggled it. Lance grinned triumphantly, “See! It is a cat. Kenzie loves it!”

Sighing, Bobbi reiterated, “Not a cat.”

He looked at Bobbi unamused and asked Kenzie, “Do you like your kitty cat, Kenz?”

Kenzie paused in her snuggling of the toy and looked up at Lance, “Fox, daddy.”

“See?” Bobbi smirked.

Lance blinked a couple of times, “Wait… What?”

Kenzie huffed a bit, “Fox, daddy,” she repeated.

Bobbi laughed quietly, “You’ve bene outsmarted by a three-year-old.”

Now Lance just felt bad. “Aww, I’m sorry Kenzie. I thought it was a cat. I can take it back and -” He had begun saying reaching out to take the stuff animal.

Kenzie smacked his hand away, “No! My fox, daddy!”

Bobbi was fully laughing at this point and she replied, “You may not take her fox, Lance.”

Lance grumbled. Kenzie smiled sweetly and said, “Daddy. Dis name Kitty.” She held up her stuffed fox.

His face brightened instantly, “Yes! It shall be named Kitty!”

Kenzie giggled as if she knew she was pacifying him. Kid was smarter than they had expected.


End file.
